James C. "Jimmy" Lambert

Rev. James C. "Jimmy" Lambert, 99, of Barrier Loop, Morganton, NC died Friday, May 29, 2009 at Grace Hospital following a brief illness. Born in Cabarrus County, NC on March 17, 1910, he was the son of the late James Allen Lambert and Mary Alice Dulin Lambert.Jimmy was the eighth child of thirteen brothers and sisters and was the last surviving sibling. He grew up on his family’s farm and labored with his family growing all kinds of crops. He had to quit school after the sixth grade so that he could help on the farm to support the family. In 1930 he met Pearl Mae Canup and she asked him to give his life to the Lord which he did. They were married on August 5, 1933 and were together for 71 years until her death on September 14, 2004.Rev. Lambert preached his first sermon in 1940 at Shady Grove Baptist Church, Kannapolis, NC and was ordained there in 1950. He accepted the call to Zion Baptist Church in Morganton on April 9, 1950 and served there until 1958. He served as pastor of Union Grove Baptist Church, Lenoir, NC from 1958 until his retirement for health reason in 1972. Following his recovery, he continued to serve as interim pastor at numerous area churches, to preach revivals, and to preach as a guest pastor. He preached at all but one church in the Catawba River Baptist Association. Preacher Jimmy was devoted to his family and was committed to spreading the Word of God.Jimmy is survived by his son, Curtis Lambert, and wife, Pearl Justice, of Morganton; a daughter, Doris Fox and husband, Fred, of Morganton; grandsons, Randy Fox of Morganton and Stephen Lambert and wife, Sheila of Greenville, SC; and great-grandchildren, Ryan Fox, Jamie Fox, Kurt Lambert, and Kyle Lambert.In addition to his parents, Jimmy was preceded in death by his wife, Pearl Canup Lambert, and twelve siblings.The funeral will be held at 1:00 p.m., Monday, June 1, 2009 at El Bethel Baptist Church with Reverends Ron Cooper, Clyde Buckner, and Roger Beck officiating. Burial will follow in Forest Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends Sunday evening from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Sossoman Funeral Home where the body will remain until placed in the church thirty minutes prior to the service. At other times the family will be at the residence of Doris and Fred Fox, 2789 Barrier Loop, Morganton. Memorial contributions may be made to Gideon’s International, P.O. Box 678, Morganton, NC 28680.