Mabel Elizabeth Lambert

Obituary – Mabel Elizabeth Lambert (nee Littlewood)    

Mabel Elizabeth Lambert, of the RM of Swan River, passed away at the Benito Health Centre on March 21, 2018 at the age of 85 years.

Mabel was born in Foam Lake, Saskatchewan on August 25, 1932 to Annie and George Littlewood.  She enjoyed school and received her education in the Hampstead district near Foam Lake and later in Flin Flon, Manitoba, where she moved as a young woman.  In Flin Flon, Mabel worked in ladies’ fashions at the Blue and White store,where she loved designing the front window displays and had customers ask for her by name for assistance.

It was in Flin Flon where Mabel met and later married the love of her life, Jack Lambert, on March 16, 1957.  In 1958 they welcomed their first child, daughter Karen.  In 1960 they left Flin Flon and moved to Swan River where they took over the family farm from Jack’s parents, Anna and Roy Lambert.  Also in 1960, they welcomed their son, Roy, followed by daughter Kimberley in 1973.

Mabel was never afraid of hard work and embraced the farm life.  She and Jack raised a variety of livestock over the years and operated a grain farm.  She worked alongside Jack in all aspects of the farming life, from tending to livestock to delivering meals to the field during harvest time.  When Jack was working away from home, Mabel kept the family and the farm running smoothly.

Gardening was one of Mabel’s biggest passions.  The beautifully landscaped yard that you see at the Lambert family farm today is the result of Mabel’s creative vision and years of hard work.  When she arrived at the farm in 1960, the yard was a blank slate, but she was up to the challenge.  She enjoyed the process of choosing the perfect plants, spending hours going through nursery catalogues and visiting greenhouses.  Over time, the undecorated soil and wild land became a sprawling lawn with borders of ornamental trees and shrubs, flower gardens, an orchard, a vegetable garden and assorted pots of annual plants that Mabel enjoyed creating each year.   She also loved garden ornaments, especially little animals, and would place these throughout the yard. 

Music was also an important part of Mabel’s life.   She loved playing the organ, which she could do by ear.  One of her favourite songs to play and sing was “Amazing Grace,” which took on special meaning for her when she lost her sister, Grace.  She listened to both old and new country music and, for a time, kept up with her grandchildren when it came to knowing current country hits.  She proudly recalled the fiddle-playing skills of her father, which is likely where Mabel inherited her musical ability.

Mabel loved recording memories of good times with family and friends.  From an 8mm movie camera to a camcorder, and from film cameras to digital cameras, Mabel captured the people, places and events that were important to her.  Looking through old photographs continued to make her happy during the last few years.

Mabel’s other hobbies included playing dice and card games, going to bingo, and watching hockey on television. The living room would get very lively with cheers and boos as Mabel and Jack often rooted for opposing teams.  

Mabel was a good person who was always willing to help others out, even if it meant that she would go without.  She was creative, spunky, hard-working, witty, smart, loving and compassionate, and she will be missed.

Mabel is survived by daughter Karen Gogol, son Roy (Kim) Lambert and daughter Kimberley (Grant) Shiel; grandchildren Michelle (Brenton)  Stevenson, Matt (Denoda) Gogol, Lisa (Grant) Shanks, Kerri (Carlo) Lajoie, Whitney Lambert (Mike Ukrainec) and Sarah Lambert (Michael Rairie); great-grandchildren Jayden, Taylor, Laine, Austin, Chance, Sydney, Rowan, Julia, Khloe, Hudson, Kayden and Nova; sisters Edna Link, Doris (Leo) Schebel and Irene (Vic) Harms; brothers Maurice (Carolyn) Littlewood and Duncan Littlewood; brother-in-law Walter Abtosway; and sister-in-law Muriel Klause. 

Mabel was predeceased by husband Jack; parents George and Annie  Littlewood; sisters Grace Abtosway, Gladys Hinchliffe and an infant sister; brothers Ray Littlewood, Victor Littlewood and an infant brother; father-in-law Roy Lambert, mother-in-law Anna Lambert; and brother-in-laws Leonard Link, Willard Hinchliffe, Bob Mullin and Alvin Klause.

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