Oil may have flowed in Joe Lambert’s veins. Following graduation from Princeton in 1949, he absorbed the world of petroleum engineering at the University of Oklahoma, became an engineer for Standard Oil of Indiana in Tulsa, served in Chase National Bank’s petroleum department, and then for 10 years joined a partner in Tulsa to consult with small, independent oil companies. Next he spent eight years with Merrill Lynch, followed by creating a small consulting firm.

“Princeton probably left its mark on me more deeply than even I can appreciate,” Joe wrote for our 50th yearbook, adding that his college experience “helped prepare me for living in a multicultural, international community, introducing me to diverse nationalities and characters that all but freed me from my former insularity.”

When Joe died in Monterey, Calif., April 19, 2013, he had been a resident of nearby Carmel for 13 years, where his countless friends knew his charming wit and great sense of humor.

He is survived by his daughters, Carroll Lambert, Virginia Swayne, and Anne Mahoney; three granddaughters; and a grandson. To them all, ’46 offers its sincerest condolences.

Undergraduate Class of 1946