PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Nov. 22, 2004 – Lloyd Lambert, one of the last vestiges of The PGA of America's connections to Florida's West Coast before its move to Palm Beach County in 1964, has passed away.
Lambert, 82, died Nov. 15 of complications from pneumonia. At the time of his death, he still resided in Palm Beach Gardens, the PGA's current headquarters.
Lambert, who is survived by a son, Mark, joined the PGA staff in 1958 when the organization was based in Dunedin on Florida's West Coast. With a staff of about 17 working on the second floor of the Bank of Dunedin and a membership of approximately 4,000, Lambert was named Administrative Assistant on June 16 of that year.
Following his discharge as a Captain serving in the U.S. Air Force during World War II, the Missourian earned an undergraduate degree from Roanoke College, a graduate degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and his law degree from Georgetown University. He joined Arnold & Porter, a prestigious Washington, D.C.-based law firm.
After joining Executive Director Tom Crane's staff as Administrative Assistant, Lambert subsequently would be named Executive Secretary and Counsel for the Association. He was named Acting Executive Director in 1972, replacing Crane's successor, Robert Creasey.
Lambert handled the top administrative position until Mark Cox was named to the permanent position in 1973. Lambert retired as Counsel for the PGA in 1987, and remained as a legal consultant until his death.
"Lloyd's death closes one of the longest-running chapters in PGA history," said PGA Chief Executive Officer Jim Awtrey. "From the days of Dunedin to the present day, Lloyd was a vital contributor to the success enjoyed by The PGA today. His calming presence will be missed by all of us."
Lambert's contributions to The PGA were acknowledged publicly in 1986 when he was made the third Honorary Member of the Association. The first two were Gary Player and President Gerald Ford.
Lambert was involved with issues such as the formation of the PGA Tour as a separate organization, the Golf City antitrust litigation regarding branded merchandise, and the John D. McArthur invitation and subsequent eviction from the club that today is known as BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens. He also was involved in the negotiations for developing the present-day PGA Headquarters at PGA National Resort & Spa, also in Palm Beach Gardens.
From the time he joined The PGA until the time of his retirement, Lambert kept the minutes of every board meeting and PGA Annual Meeting. His knowledge of The PGA helped the Association maintain its history down through the years. He most recently had provided another historical update on The PGA's many activities in the '70s and '80s.
Source: PGA
