First and foremost, thank you. Our family has been shown such unwavering love and support not only in the last few days but over the course of our struggle with Rosemary’s ALS diagnosis and we appreciate it more than we can say. Truly, thank you.
Secondly, below are the details regarding Rosemary’s celebration. If you’re in Muskegon on Friday, you’re welcome to join us in celebrating the life of our sweet Rosemary.
Rosemary Lambert, age 59, passed away on Saturday morning, August 22, 2015, at her home on Muskegon Lake surrounded by her family. She was born on July 22, 1956 in Muskegon, Michigan to Floyd and Rose Marie (Kraus) Beckman. On November 24, 1978 she married Mark Lambert who survives her. She attended college at Central Michigan University and then went on to work in marketing at Transnation Title for 27 years, retiring in 2010. Rosemary loved Broadway musicals, candlelit dinners with her loved ones, hiking in Muskegon State Park, Lake Michigan sunsets and photography. Following her ALS diagnosis Rosemary started rosemarylambert.com, a blog on which she shared stories about her life, photos she’d taken and honest and raw words about faith and dying. In addition to Mark, her husband of 36 years, Rosemary is survived by her children, Chad Lambert of Dallas, TX, Kelly (Christopher) Ufnal of Muskegon, Corey Lambert of San Francisco, CA, and Bryan Lambert of Muskegon; 3 grandchildren, Cole and Peyton Lambert, and Harrison Ufnal; 1 brother, Jim (Janet) Beckman; 5 sisters, Judy (Gordon) Grimm, Joan Roberts, Deb (Steve) Neinas, Vikke (Bob) Longcore, and Mary (Jim Bozell) Carlson; and many nieces and nephews. Rosemary was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Jean Morris; and brother, Mick Beckman. THE MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL will be held at 2:00pm on Friday, August 28, 2015 at Prince of Peace Catholic Church (1100 Dykstra Road) with Rev. Fr. Tony Pelak as Celebrant. There will be a one-hour visitation prior to the mass. A CELEBRATION OF LIFE will be held on Friday evening, August 28, from 6:00pm to 9:00pm at Bella Maria’s Ristorante & Event Center (513 West Pontaluna Road). Interment will be made in Laketon Township Cemetery. MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS may be made to the Rosemary Lambert Memorial Fund c/o The Community Foundation for Muskegon County. MEMORIES OF ROSEMARY can be shared with her family in the comments section of her blog (rosemarylambert.com).
Live Simple, Love Like Crazy 
I just want to say that Rosemary provides to be an inspiration to me even in her death. Her actions while she was alive continue to provide me with hope and thankfulness.
She spoke eloquently of the good, the bad and the ugly!
She was a warrior as well as her family never giving up and never giving in!
What a treasure she has given so many with the truly honest story of her life.
She and her blog will be missed my us all.
The angels sang as she was uplifted to be with Jesus! She is whole!
My heart is with the Beckman and Lambert families, and all Rosemary’s friends in celebration of her life. Her sweet and gentle spirit is one of my deepest memories. Our mothers were dear friends, our big sisters were friends, and we were born just months apart. Images of the inside of her childhood home are almost as clear as my own, and I recall many happy playtimes there with my first friend. I last saw Rosemary when she attended a celebration at my family home in Muskegon, and she was expecting her second child – so that has been a while ago! Although our adult lives took us in different directions, I know that my life was profoundly touched by her genuine kindness. I cannot help but share sadness with those who knew and loved her, and wish comfort to all, especially her family. She lived with true grace and beauty, and brought happiness and joy to so many people throughout her life. I hope that her blog will remain online – having just discovered it, I have some catching up to do and deeply appreciate this beautiful gift of her words and images.
Thank you Mark (family and friends) for taking such good care of Rosemary and sharing her with us.. We have grown to love each one of you. Rosemary was a gift to you and to us. She certainly made us all think how fortunate we are and we didn’t even know it. I feel lucky to have known her and Mark. And feel lucky to have her looking down and taking care of us now. I will miss her thoughtful words. Prayers and love to each of us that have known Rosemary and her awesome family.
I met Rosemary through my friends, Wes & Deb Scholten. Whenever our paths crossed at mutual “family” events, Rosemary always made an effort to come over and visit, checking in on how our lives were going. After her ALS diagnosis, I’ve followed her blog faithfully. What an inspiration she was to me. I loved her expletives occasionally when she got totally frustrated. She expressed her love and thanks to her family and friends that were so supportive of her. What an example for all of us, to be thankful in such a situation. I can only imagine Rosemary enjoying the awesomeness of Heaven right now.
My sympathy and prayers are with her greatest supporters – Mark, the kids, her extended family, and her friends. Your dedication and tender caring were admirable. You provided love, support, fun, laughter, tears, tenderness, wine time, and normalcy. May God bless you as you laugh, cry, remember, and plan for a new future.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Lambert family. Rosemary touched so many lives…what a beautiful example of walking with Christ you have all been. Your love and strength are amazing and inspiring. May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
We were so saddened by the loss of Rosemary. Our hearts are heavy for Mark, the children, and their families. It was only last week Tuesday that we saw them both at Brenda’s mothers funeral. We rejoice that she is in heaven with our loving father, and we pray that the Lord will give peace to Mark and all of Rosemary’s loved ones.
I have been reading this blog since my mother was diagnosed with ALS in January of 2014. I found Rosemary’s blog through a google search and while at times it was difficult to read because I often thought of my own mother’s struggles what I saw through each and every post was that God prevails through the darkness. Rosemary’s posts were a testimony to that and I am so thankful that she shared that testimony.
I had Rosemary as a student in P.E. In 9th grade. I knew she was a very special person back then but she far surpassed a “junior high special” to becoming a wonderful adult “special”. I never missed her blogs . I have never experienced such wisdom and love that she shared with us all through her battle. I believe we all became better people reading and digesting her words through this battle. We became her rooting section throughout it all. Rest in peace,dear Rosemary.
Wow where do we start Lambert Family? I have read so many comments and Laura Zagar’s has captured most of my thoughts of a husband in you Mark. And Mark few husbands would help shave legs and help put on nylons like you did! Rosemary helped put hilarious in your daily trials. But Laura was correct that it is not the norm women have encountered from their partner when the part of marriage with illness arrives as profoundly as it did with Our Rosemary.
For Kelly and Chris to move into the building your Mom was at to help in this situation is not the usual either. Having Harrison beside her regularly was like bringing a little angel to visit for Rosemary. God gave you the means of keeping both your career positions that many are faced with choosing family or work. How great is Our God at work?
Chad, Ron’s partner in mischief. You, Devin, Cole and Peyton have delivered a great deal with traveling at every opportunity. How are we Ferguson’s and Lambert’s able to thank God for your friendship that brought our families together? I was paused when I realized it is going on twenty years. We have gathered at every opportunity with your family and made to feel like family ourselves.
Corey I thank God for your enthusiasm and getting that blog going. You have been able to travel as a helper that God allowed you to be close to your parents and continue her quest to keep in touch with so many people while keeping your career. That has to be at God’s Will.
Bryan and your support. I love the cream puff stuff from Ryke’s, inspirational really! So proud of your career in aviation.
Each one of you is my favorite!
I had the privilege to work with Rosemary and socialize with Rosemary over the 20 years and saw God radiating from her being long before this journey. She was instrumental in the Ambassador’s group at Catholic Central. She welcomed and worked with me to ensure all students from every parish and church were made welcomed at Catholic Central. She was the only person who helped from Catholic when I had frightening and debilitating surgery at Chicago Neurosurgery and Neuroscience.
Then, Rosemary and I made it a pact following the time at Catholic to be Prayer Warriors for our children and families.
But something few people know is her involvement in our daughter Darci’s fight with cancer and the financial cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars needed in her care at Mayo and Cancer Treatment Centers of America. She helped direct us in her benefit. We would NEVER have gotten through this part of our journey without her intervention.
Not to mention having all the Ferguson’s as members that sat with the whole family – along with our friends her sister Debbie and Steve’s family, Patti and Luz and their very loving manner with our son Ron growing up. Judy Grimm, Ron’s elementary teacher being at gatherings each Christmas after our welcome at family gatherings and our marvel how Rosemary channeled that being Judy’s sister.
This world lost a loving friend that few ever experience in Rosemary Lambert and her family. I will be forever grateful to her presence in my life over the years. Now I hope I am able to put my arms around each one of you that Rosemary loved. I feel her smiling down on us, I will see the stars twinkle as they did in her eyes at night and think of her with each sun rise and sunset as she did. I imagine her hugging those in Heaven and running in between her times God cradles her in the Palm of His Hand. I look forward to being with her when my time comes. I believe as she did in life — it is everlasting. Praise God for our paths crossing Rosemary Lambert.
Heaven has another angel, one of the finest people to ever walk this earth.
Rosemary was a beautiful example of how to live courageously through trials and pain. She showed us what it means to share openly and deeply. She was an encourager, reminding us to make the most of the time God has given us and to Love Like Crazy. Mark & family, our deepest condolences.
My thoughts and prayers are with each and everyone of you.May God comfort you. I enjoyed reading Rosemary’s blog and learned so much on how to live and love while going through a difficult journey in life. Rosemary was truly a gift from God to those of us who had the privilege of getting to know her through her blog.She was one amazing woman for sharing her joys in life and her struggles with ALS. She will be missed by everyone. My love and prayers to all of you.
So sad to hear this! Rosemary truly was a gift from God!! She has inspired so many people with her hard fought struggle! My thoughts and prayers for all her family and friends as they will be missing an awesome lady!🙏
My prayers are with you during this difficult time! My mom passed away from ALS 6 years ago and following Rosemary’s blog the past couple of years has been such a blessing to me! Her honest words and experiences have helped my through my own grief journey. Thank you for sharing Rosemary with me. May God wrap his loving arms around and hug you tight!
I ask God to comfort the entire Lambert family during their time of loss. I do want to say, though, that your family, though burdened with this sorrowful disease and with the death of Rosemary, had a rare opportunity that not many families have. The Lambert children had the opportunity to see marital love at its finest. This is what true, unconditional, sacramental, covenantal love is all about. It isn’t about the love you see in the movies. This is real love. I don’t know how many husbands would have taken their wives all over the United States as Mark did, or walked their wives through the state park, through sand, taken them to see sunsets, or included them in as many wonderful and amazing things as Mark did. I continued to be awed at the extent of his love and sacrifice for his beloved wife throughout this illness, especially as she became more incapacitated, and he continued to do for her.
Mark, you are a saint. God bless you for making Rosemary comfortable and loved. Bless you for including her in vacations, dinners, outings, walks, family celebrations, etc. You are an amazing man. Bless you for finding ways to do things that you thought were impossible. I only hope that the emptiness you feel now will soon be filled with something meaningful and wonderful that will make you happy, just as your wife did for 36 years. May God fill you with love and great hope for a bright future as you step into a new stage of your life. I pray that your grieving will not be too terribly long. I’m sure you have already been grieving for your dear Rosemary. God be with you. Liz Zagar
Our thoughts and prayers to you and your family. We know you through Dick and Patti. I’ve enjoyed reading Rosemary’s blog and have learned so much about how her life was lived with true happiness and purpose. I will always remember her smile and kinds words. Rosemary touched more people than you will ever know. God Bless and comfort all of you. Sincerely, Nancy and Denny Hanks
I never missed reading Rosemary’s blog and I was always in awe of what an amazing, beautiful and compassionate woman she was. Sometimes I cried but mostly I was uplifted by her words, her strength and her resolve. I am a better person for having known Rosemary.
Rosemary accepted her mission with love and dignity. Along with Mark, Chad, Kelly, Corey and Bryan’s unwavering support, she taught all of us to live and love with fullness and grace. What a remarkable, courageous woman! I hope she is now tripping the light fantastic across the heavens, hugging those who went before her, and in every sense, loving like crazy.
The world has lost a truly remarkable woman. Rosemary was such a wonderful person who made the most of a horrible situation. She will be greatly missed.
Bless you Rosemary for the courage and strength you showed everyone during your struggle with ALS. I can only hope I could be so strong if faced with such an illness. You are a true inspiration. My prayers are with your family as they deal with their grief