Lambert J. Haug, 96, of Seneca died on Saturday, May 14, 2016 at Crestview Nursing & Residential Living.

Lambert was born Dec., 16, 1919 at St. Benedict, KS to Luke and Clara Haug in their home. He was the oldest of six children, Erma Osterhaus, Urban Haug, Regis Haug, Delores Boeckman, and Marceil Rottinghaus. He attended Cottonwood school and graduated from St. Benedict School in the 8th grade. As the oldest son, he immediately started farming with his Father then served in the US Army from 1942 to 1945, and initiated the use of radar during WW II on the USS Waterbury to transport soldiers, supplies and Prisoners of War across the Atlantic Ocean. (Lambert said the first thing he learned about the Army was when asked for volunteers to step forward, he and the smartest soldiers stepped back one step. And that was all he would say about the war. His ship experience caused him to attempt to avoid boats for the remainder of his life).

Lambert returned to Nemaha County to marry Marjorie Olberding February 18, 1947, at Sts. Peter and Paul Church and to his own farming and ranching business. They raised four children, Linda Becker (Roger) of Independence, MO; Carolyn Bloom-Reynolds (Russ) of Topeka, KS; Duane Haug (Mary) of Raymore, MO; and Lyle Haug (Janet) of Harrisonville, MO.

He served on the Board of Directors of the Nemaha County Cooperative Association and the Black Vermillion Watershed. He was a 4th Degree in the Knights of Columbus through the Sacred Heart Church in Baileyville and the St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca, serving on the Council in 1969. Lambert was a voracious reader on many topics, but especially all things farming and he won a Best Farming Practice Award from the County Extension Agency. He was a teacher and helped his family in 4-H participation for decades.

He loved the land, productive crop growth, raising quality cattle, hogs, dairy cows and chickens. He started his 55 years of farming and ranching with mules and horses, moving up to a long line of John Deere green tractors and equipment. Lambert and Marjorie retired to Seneca in November, 1983 and delivered Meals on Wheels for 20 years, played bridge and pitch for years with family and friends. He worked more than full time doing multiple part time jobs in the Seneca area. He was a skilled dancer with his long term partner, adept in farm pond fishing with a cane pole and worms, and was still an avid Royals fan. They loved to travel and meet new friends, going to Hawaii, Alaska, Caribbean, both coasts and many points in between, even if it involved a ship.

Lambert and Marjorie celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary in February, with their 10 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren.

Lambert could fix everything from mechanical breakdowns of the largest farm equipment, to errant water flow, to little girl’s broken hearts. He embodies the perfect role model as a responsible citizen, good neighbor, Christian father and husband as well as a hard working, successful entrepreneurial businessman. He believed in hard work, not sleeping late and always honoring his word, no matter how difficult. He survived a Great Depression, Great Dust Bowl, Great Wall Street Crash, Great WW II, The Great Flood of 1951, and farm price fluxations and never lost his enduring smile.

He was preceded in death by a sister Erma Osterhaus on December 29, 2011 and a brother Urban Haug on March 18, 2008.

He is survived by his wife; children, Linda (Roger) Becker of Independence, MO, Duane (Mary Haug of Raymore, MO, Carolyn (Russ) Bloom-Reynolds of Topeka and Lyle (Janet) Haug of Harrisonville, MO; and siblings, Delores Beckman and Marceil Rottinghaus of Seneca and Regis Haug of Denver, CO. 10 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Wednesday, May 18, 2016 at 11AM at Sts. Peter and Paul’s Church in Seneca. Burial will be in the Sts. Peter and Paul Cemetery in Seneca. Rosaries will be prayed on Tuesday at 2 & 7 PM at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca.

Memorials are for Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America.