Mike Lambert died in Newcastle, Oklahoma March 23, 2024. A private memorial service will be planned at a later date. Strode Funeral Home and Cremation is in charge of the arrangements.


Born in May 1949, James Michael Lambert was the son of Clarence and Ruth Lambert of Stillwater, the fifth of eight brothers and sisters. He was a 1967 graduate of C.E. Donart (now Stillwater High School) and a 1972 graduate of Oklahoma State University, receiving degrees in Construction Management and Engineering Technology.


A third generation builder, Mike was first employed by CH Leavell Construction in Dallas before joining his father and brothers at Lambert Construction in Stillwater in 1976. He later worked for his beloved alma mater at OSU Long Range Facilities Planning from 1998 until his retirement in 2013. During his career, Mike built dozens of public buildings in Oklahoma and Texas including Crossroads Mall in OKC, Stillwater Public Library, Stillwater Warren Clinic, and Boone Pickens Stadium. Mike was President of the Oklahoma Chapter of the Association of General Contractors in 1993 and was named Oklahoma "Builder of the Year" in 1996.


An avid fisherman, Mike was a member of the Stillwater Bass Master's Club at Lake Carl Blackwell, and on most weeknights could be found casting a lure on the pond behind the family home in Stillwater. Saturdays in the fall were reserved for Cowboy Football; Mike and Lisa were season football and basketball ticket holders for forty years. Ever loyal and true, they traveled to see the Pokes play in countless bowl games and in the Final Four in both 1995 and 2004. The son of a state champion trap shooter, Mike was founder and grand marshal of the annual "Cow Patty Classic" family skeet competition. He was also known among the family as "Rich Uncle Mike" due to his penchant for paying quarters to young nieces and nephews who could sing the Oklahoma State alma mater.


Mike was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Nancy Zellers, and brothers Bob and Bill Lambert.


Mike is survived by his wife, Lisa; and his children, Heather (Jeff) Spiva of Stillwater, OK; Lucy (Derek) Novotny of Newcastle OK; and Skip (Katie) Lambert of Tokyo, Japan. He is survived by grandsons, Tom and John Spiva of Stillwater, OK; Brian Michael and Frank Novotny of Newcastle, OK; and Harry James Lambert of Tokyo, Japan. Mike is survived by his siblings Carolyn Buser, David Lambert, Mary McCoy and Rick Lambert, several brothers and sisters in law as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family members..


In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests donations be made in Mike's name to either the MD Anderson Foundation, PO Box 4486, Houston, TX. 77210 or www.mdanderson.org/donors-volunteers/donate.html ; or to Integris Foundation FBO Cancer Institute of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma at PO Box 57380 Oklahoma City, OK. 73157 or .