Members of the Lambert Clan that have deep roots in Devonshire Parish came from near and very far to join in a ‘Service of Triumph' for the doyenne of the family, Helen Grace Paynter Lambert. Eulogized as the ‘Amazing Grace', when funeralized at Allen Temple AME Church, Somerset last week, she was in her 93rd year when she passed away on December 29.Helen hailed from St. George's, being the eldest of the well-known family of Gwendolyn Jones Callabras and Frederick Paynter. She married into the Lambert family, being the wife for more than 52 years of Reuben H. Lambert, a former sergeant in the Bermuda Militia and officer at the old Transport Control Department. Three children of that marriage were Randolph (Randy), Althea and Victoria (Vicki).The Lamberts were a large family, high achievers, dominant personalities in the church and community affairs of their community. Their off-spring seem to be similarly steeped in service aptitude.First to arrive, from Phoenix, Arizona was Albert Stephens, Helen's son from her first marriage to Cecil Stephens, late of Pembroke. He has been employed for more than 22 years as an executive of Southwest Airlines. Currently he is a director with particular responsibility for change and compliance initiatives.There is a proposal for Southwest Airlines to acquire AirTran, and Albert has been selected by Southwest to serve on the integration team charged with the responsibility of merging AirTran operations with Southwest at airport hubs across the United States and the Caribbean and hopefully with his native Bermuda, since Air Tran will fly to the Island this year.Albert was accompanied by his wife Trudy, who is now enjoying retirement after owning and operating a beauty salon in the San Mateo area of California.Randolph Lambert came from his home in New Hope, Pennsylvania He is currently self-employed as a water treatment specialist. For many years Randy worked for Polaroid, Inc., and for various townships in southern New Jersey and Pennsylvania operating water treatment facilities. He has also developed a keen interest in horticulture, and is an avid bonsai artist.Althea has an interesting dual career. Ordained as an Itinerant Elder in the AME Church since 1997, she assists her husband as Associate Pastor at Hemingway Memorial A.M.E. Church in District Heights, Maryland. Along with her role as executive assistant to the Pastor, she is responsible for the Church's Worship & Liturgy Ministry and directs the Ministry to Women. In her second career, Rev. Hayward is employed as a programme analyst for the US Government's Legal Services Corporation. In that capacity she is responsible for the grant-making and program quality control for legal aid societies and programs in 17 northern States in the US.Althea's husband of 39 years, the Rev. Samuel E. Hayward, III, delivered the eulogy at the home going celebration for his mother-in-law. Rev. Hayward is a fourth generation preacher, the great grand-son of Peter Smith, an evangelist of early days known as “Peter in the Cave.” His grandfather Samuel Hayward the first was a preacher and numbered among the founders of Gospel Hall in Crawl Hill. His father, the Rev. Samuel (Sam) Hayward the second was the well-known pastor of Mount Zion Church at Whale Bay, and Richard Allen AME in St. George.Rev. Samuel E. Hayward, III, is the Senior Pastor of Hemingway Memorial A.M.E. Church in District Heights, MD, a part of the Washington Annual Conference. He is a trustee of the Washington Annual Conference and serves on the Conference Board of Examiners. Rev. Hayward is well known revivalist and preacher in the Virginia and Washington corridors.Rev. Kristina R. Hayward (Althea's daughter) also has a dual career. She is an ordained minister in the AME Church, and serves on the ministerial staff at Hemingway Memorial AME Church. She is also employed as a kindergarten teacher by the Prince Georges County School System.Kimberly Hayward (Althea's daughter) worked for some time as a housekeeper at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD. Currently she is self-employed as a care-giver.Rev. Dr. Colin M. Lambert (Helen's great nephew) is an ordained minister in the AME Church. Upon completion of his studies in Bermuda, he entered Howard University and Columbia University earning his Masters and Doctorate degrees. He currently serves as pastor of Trinity AME Church, Baltimore, MD. His Church is located about five blocks away from Johns Hopkins Hospital.Victoria Lambert Robinson, the youngest daughter of the family, did not have to travel far. She resides at Sound View Road, Somerset. She is graced with the gift of writing and poetry, and is a trained and certified nursing assistant. Viki was joined by her daughter Nichole Tatem who lives in Englewood, NJ, and is the owner-operate r of Tatem Accupuncture in Brooklyn, New York for elderly patients.Other grandchildren from abroad was Selena Stephens Bunch. Selena is a Regional Director for The Gap, the large clothing chain with stores all over the U.S. Her husband, John Bunch, is employed as a manager at Southwest Airlines, Dallas Texas Airport.Among the other attendees from abroad were Deborah Moore, Chair of the Board of Stewards of Hemingway Memorial AME Church, District Heights, Maryland; Rev. Valdes S. Bennett, PhD, Member of the Ministerial Staff of Hemingway Memorial ; Ms Sherry Alexander, Minister in Training, Ministerial Staff, Hemingway Memorial.Among the other chief mourners who did not have to travel far were Martha Lambert Gilbert, a nonagenarian who is the eldest survivor of Reuben Lambert's siblings, and her son Travis Gilbert; also sister-in-law Dorothy Paynter. The late Helen Lambert was a stalwart Christian, keenly supportive of her husband, who was a leader of the Lay Organization of the Bermuda Conference AME Lay Organization.Helen was a trained seamstress and upholsterer, servicing leading department stores in Hamilton and noted for the wedding gowns she fashioned for customers. Also she was called upon by various hotels and guest houses to re-design and refurbish guest rooms.