Milton Louis Lambert

Milton Louis "Lou" Lambert, 95, Altoona, died Tuesday at Altoona Regional Health System, Altoona Hospital Campus. He was born in Jenner Township, Somerset County, son of Daniel and Grace (Schmucker) Lambert. He married L. Jean Burchfield on Feb. 14, 1989, in Gethsemane United Methodist Church, Juniata. He previously had married Phyllis Pierson in 1946 in Altoona, and she preceded him in death in 1985. Surviving are his wife; a son, Michael (Cathy) of Altoona; five stepchildren: Jean Ann Rupp (Robert) of Clearfield, Jane A. Schwebke (Brion) of Swansea, Ill., Joan Conway (Paul) of Altoona, James R. Burchfield (Margie) of Juniata Gap and Jeffrey Randall Burchfield (Kristine) of Chantilly, Va.; two grandchildren: Erin and Nicole Lambert; 14 stepgrandchildren; 12 stepgreat-grandchildren; two sisters: Betty Albright of Meyersdale and Eleanor Gasper of Johnstown; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two brothers: John and Lester. Lou was a 1933 graduate of Somerset High School. He earned a B.S. in music education from State Teachers College at Indiana (now Indiana University of Pennsylvania) and an M.Ed. in music education from Penn State University in 1948. He also did postgraduate work at Penn State. He served as a U.S. Army bandsman during WWII with the rank of technical sergeant. Lou retired in 1977 after 18 years as a music teacher in the Bellwood-Antis School District. He previously had worked in the Windber School District for 10 years and was an adjunct instructor at Penn State Altoona. He also had worked as an auto mechanic in Johnstown for several years prior to attending college and had worked part time as a mechanic for Buick dealers in Indiana and State College while attending college. Lou was a member of Juniata United Methodist Church, where for years he had played the piano for Sunday school. He also belonged to the Altoona Kiwanis Club, Juniata American Legion, Hiram Lodge, F&AM, Altoona Consistory, Harrisburg Consistory and the Jaffa Shrine, where he played with the Jaffa Band and String Band. He was a member of the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees and served on local and state committees, and he was a past president of the Blair Chapter of the Pennsylvania Association of School Employees. He was a former member of the Friday Senior Bowling League at Pleasant Valley Lanes and a former member of the Scotch Valley Grange. He formerly played in the Altoona Symphony Orchestra. Lou enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, reading, playing cards and playing the violin, piano and trombone. He had the gift of playing without using printed music. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011, at Mauk & Yates Funeral Home Inc., Juniata (www.maukandyates.com), where a Masonic service will be held at 7 p.m. Friends will also be received from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 21, 2011, at Juniata United Methodist Church, followed by a funeral service at 11 a.m., the Rev. Keith Schmuck and Dr. Robert Rupp officiating. Interment will be at Alto-Reste Park Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Juniata United Methodist Church.