Keith Sandell Lambertson

April 16, 1917 < Dec. 16, 2007
Keith Lambertson, age 90, passed away on Dec. 16, 2007.
A resident of Fairfield for the past 33 years, Keith was a retired teacher, vocational counselor and coach. He had a great interest in traveling, visiting 45 different countries during his life, but his true passion was basketball.
Keith's basketball career began in 1925, when he was 8 years old. A neighbor in Mitchell, S.D. cut the bottom out of a peach basket and nailed it above his garage door. The neighborhood kids shot a lopsided rubber ball through the hoop all day long.
His first experience with organized ball was in 10th grade, when he played on the varsity team at Teacher's College High School in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He recalled how a jump ball was played after each basket was scored, and how they had to dodge a pole in center court that supported the gym ceiling. In 1941, he graduated from the University of Northern Iowa, lettering in three sports.
Keith did not wait to be drafted for World War II. He signed up, so he could choose his assignment. He served as a Navy Pilot, flying F3Fs, F6Fs, P-17s, and several other planes. He was also a flight instructor, teaching naval aviators to land on aircraft carriers.
During the 1950s and '60s, Keith coached many teams to victory in the United States, Spain, France, Libya and Paraguay. In 1960, he was offered a job coaching a professional basketball team, but decided to continue his education. He received his M.A. in Education from the University of Wyoming in 1963.
In 1979, Keith organized a national half-court basketball tournament for seniors and continued directing the national tournament until 1993, when he was 76 years old. Into his 80s, he participated in the Senior Olympics and earned medals in the "horse" and free-throw competitions.
He children will remember him for his intelligence, his athleticism, his great coaching skills and his silly sense of humor.
His survivors include his loving wife of 48 years, Maria; son and daughter-in-law, Alex and Barbara Lambertson of Folsom; daughters and sons-in-law, Sonia and Kevin Murray of Fairfield, Mara and Joe Thompson of Fairfield, and Gina and Floyd Thomas of Vacaville; and grandchildren, Drew and Shana Thompson, Sam and Sidney Thomas, and Lauren and Brooks Lambertson.
His son, Mark, preceded him in death.
The family will celebrate his life with a private memorial at Lake Tahoe.