Brother Chanel Louis Lambert, fms
Born on May 31, 1923, in Lawrence MA
Died on May 12, 2012, in Miami FL
Interred May 18, 2012, Esopus NY
Appointments
1940-42 Marist Brothers Novitiate, Poughkeepsie, NY - Postulant and
Novice
1941 Reception of the Habit on July 26, 1941
1942 Profession of First Vows on July 26, 1942
1942-43 Esopus Juniorate - Cook
1943-44 Scholasticate in Poughkeepsie
1944-46 St. Jeanne d'Arc Elementary School, Lowell, MA - Teacher
1946-49 St. Anne's Elementary School, Lawrence, MA - Teacher
1949-56 St. Ann's Academy, New York, NY - Teacher and Prefect
1956 B.S. in Education, Fordham University, Bronx, NY
1956-57 Second Novitiate, St. Quentin, France - nine month Renewal
Program
1957-62 Central Catholic High School, Lawrence, MA - Teacher
1962-66 Bishop DuBois High School, New York, NY - Teacher




1966-68 Mount St. Michael Academy, Bronx NY - Principal
1968-72 Marist Hall, Cold Spring, NY - Director, Teacher
1972-74 Central Catholic High School, Lawrence, MA - Director, Teacher
1974-76 Christopher Columbus HS, Miami, FL - Teacher
1976-78 Marist Residence, Miami FL - Director
1978-80 Marist Hall, Cold Spring, NY - Director
1980-82 Central Catholic High School, Lawrence, MA - Maintenance
1982-85 Marist High School, Eugene, OR - Maintenance
1985-87 Marist High School, Chicago, IL - Teacher
1987-94 St. Catherine School, Anaheim CA - Teacher
1994-99 Tampa, Florida - Retired
1999-12 Marist Retirement House, Miami, Fl - Retired
Obituary published in the Miami Herald, May 15, 2012
LAMBERT, BROTHER CHANEL, FMS, 88, a member of the Marist Brothers of
the Schools for 71 years, died May 11, 2012 at Baptist Hospital in Miami.
He was born May 31, 1923 in Lawrence, Mass. His years as a Marist
Brother were spent in ministries in Mass., New York, Illinois, Oregon and
Florida. He was the son of the late Napoleon and Mary Louis Lambert. He
was the brother to the late Very Rev. Francis Lambert, SM, and Leo and his
sister, Lucille. Chanel is survived by his nephews: Brother Bill Lambert,
FMS, Eugene Lambert, John Lambert, Daniel Lambert and his niece Sister
Claire Lambert. Visitation will be from 6:30-7PM today Tuesday (5/15)
followed by Mass at Holy Rosary-St. Richard Catholic Church at 7PM.
Interment will be at the Marist Brothers Cemetery in Esopus, New York.
From David Kammer. I must add a bit about my friendly relationships with
Br. Chanel Lambert. Chanel was a novice when I entered the novitiate in
Poughkeepsie. His given religious name was Br. Ulrich Chanel; his
baptismal name was Chanel. During my first year there Br. Eugene Lambert
was our prefect, overseeing our recreations and moderating the dormitory.


(We know that Br. Bill Lambert is Chanel's nephew; let it not be lost in
history that Chanel is Br. Eugene's nephew).
After his year cooking in Esopus, Chanel joined our group for a year of
studies in the scholasticate. When he was first assigned to St. Ann's
Academy in New York City, Chanel taught history and joined me moderating
the Sociality of the Blessed Virgin. Later Chanel became prefect in the
senior dormitory on the top floor of the Lex Building; I was his assistant
with my room in the far end of the dorm where my sleep perforce adapted
to the roar of buses and the screech of sirens below. One of the perks for
us in the dorm was that we had the privilege of freely watching black and
white TV on Saturday nights, the occasion of our first enjoyment of
Lawrence Welk and the Lennon sisters; Janet was six! That was 1955-56.
The following year Chanel and I traveled together by ship, the USS United
States, through a hurricane to Europe. We rented a "two-cylinder" Renault
and toured France, Italy, and Switzerland before settling for nine long
months at the second novitiate in St. Quentin-Fallavier, southwest of Lyons,
France. We returned peacefully in the hold of the USS America.
When Chanel retired to the Rocky Creek community near Tampa, Florida,
he became a handyman for many retired women religious who settled in
small double-wides there. Eventually he also cared for his older sister
there, as well as for his older brother Frankie, the retired Marist Bishop of
Venuatu, an island diocese in the South Pacific. Judy and I visited Chanel in
Rocky Creek a good number of times.
When Chanel settled in Miami for the winters and traveled north to
Lawrence for the summers, he strategically planned his trips to spend
overnights with extended family and friends. Northbound we were his first
overnight!
Chanel and I enjoyed a compatible friendship. We lived, worked and
traveled harmoniously. Our visits were pleasant, enjoyable, and
memorable. Our spiritual lives were complementary. Even after his stroke
this past year, Chanel had the kindness to phone. I regret that I was not
able to drive to Miami to visit with him once again. Chanel will certainly rest
in peace!
Memorial by Richard Foy My brother Peter and I were juniors the first year
the Juniorate opened in Esopus 1942-1943. It was a difficult year for
Chanel. He told me about a decade ago that he was one of the lucky ones
who was not sent out working immediately after he took his first vows.
(Most of the novices were given a year of cooking duties or gardening or




other non academic chores.) Then one day he was called into the Provincial
House to meet with Brother Louis Omer, the new Provincial. Brother Louis
told him "I'm a new provincial and this will be my first appointment. I'm
sending you to Esopus to be a cook!" The Provincial explained that Brother
James Thomas, who was originally appointed to be the cook had wrenched
his back lifting some heavy pots and would be unable to continue. So
Chanel dutifully obeyed, and never indicated his disappointment at not
getting directly to the Scholasticate.
The first kitchen was in the Superintendent's House (now called Holy
Rosary Cottage). There was a simple kitchen, and a refectory in the long
east room overlooking what would become the ball fields. This continued
until the new kitchen was completed in the mansion. We moved there for
meals in early November.
I taught with Brother Chanel at Saint Ann's Academy. A few summers later,
when I taught at Marian College, he and Bill Lee (my classmate in that first
Esopus juniorate year) repainted the exterior of the Greystone Building in
Poughkeepsie. Chanel told me that another summer he had helped restore
the wall along route 9W along the Esopus property.
The list of appointments shows clearly that he was willing to do any work
needed to forward the work of the Marist apostolate. And through it all he
was the same simple (in the Marist sense), genial, talented, outgoing
person I met in September 1942. No wonder I admired him so greatly! May
he rest in peace ...
Initial version 18 May 2012; revised 21 May 2012