Obituary: Ross Lambert

He worked many jobs during junior high and high school. After graduation, he worked for Dennis’ 7 Dees for a few years. In 1988, Ross married Sue Merritt Ross at her home in White Salmon, Washington. Yes, that’s right, Sue’s last name was Ross and that created a lot of confusion throughout the years. Sue was widowed and had two sons, David Ross and Bobby Ross. Ross loved and raised David and Bobby as if they were his own and later raising two grandchildren, Makayla and Brandon Ross, as if they were his own. Ross was a man of his word — dependable, hard worker, level headed, voice of reason, frugal, and a man of many talents.

Ross worked for Bryant Pipe and Supply, Luhr Jensen’s, SeaTrend Surf Boards, Chinook Plumbing, Terry Trantow Surveying, and, lastly, The City of White Salmon-Public Works, retiring after 30 years with the city on Oct. 1, 2025. Ross enjoyed his job with The City of White Salmon and enjoyed the people he worked with — you could even say his job was his hobby.

Ross was a man of many talents, and he could Macgyver just about anything. He loved a good challenge to make things work! Ross was a member of The BPOE Elks Lodge 1868 in White Salmon for 38 years, and for several years he was a member of the Christian Missionary Alliance Church in Hood River, Oregon, until he and Sue moved to Dallesport in 2016.

Ross enjoyed spending time with friends and family, and his friends were his family. Ross enjoyed camping, boating, water skiing, wakeboarding, riding his motorcycle (prior to marrying Sue), barbecuing , music, 1970s and ‘80s rock and roll, going to concerts, traveling, spending time with his grandkids, working on his grandkids’ cars, and visiting his brother-in-law and sister-in-law Ray and Peggy Bray in Modesto, California, friends Greg and Patty Coleman in Queen Creek, Arizona, Sue’s uncle and aunt John and Rita McGrath of Couer D’ Alene, Idaho, and Penny Miner of Twin Falls, Idaho. Ross especially loved being included in the Mealue family functions and spending time with them. Ross coached T-ball, coach pitch and Little League baseball when his granddaughter Makayla and grandson Brandon were young.

Ross was a volunteer fireman for the White Salmon Fire Department for 30 years. He enjoyed driving the firetruck in the parades with his grandkids.

Ross was preceded in death by his parents, Victor and Iona Lambert, and father-in-law and mother-in-law Marvin and Shirley Merritt. Ross is survived by his wife of 37 years, Sue Lambert; sons, David (Jennifer Warren) and Robert (Bobby) (Jen Drotar and Candice, Destiny and Elijah) Ross; grandchildren Gabriel Ross, Makayla Ross, Brandon Ross, Aiden Ross, Ryleigh Ross and Reign Ross; brother Bruce Lambert; niece AJ Lambert; nephew Aaron (Heather and Huxley) Lambert; multiple cousins and on the Lambert side of the family, where he is the first cousin to pass; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Ray and Peggy Bray; nieces Brenda and Samantha; nephew Steven; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Rick and Julie Blake; niece Cristi (Chris); nephews Matthew and Daniel; ex-sister-in-law, Suzie Dunfee and Pastor Scott Dunfee; and many dear friends — Martin and Tara Mealue, Courtney and German Poroj, Shawn and Sue Young, Rick and Amanda Mustion, George and Sandy Volker, Cheryl and Dave LeDoux, Greg and Patty Coleman, Penny Miner, Rob Clary, Ryan Adams, Andrew and Kelsey Dirks, Jeff and Becka Cooper, Rachel McIsaac and Mike, Megan and Alex Bubar, Terry and Ramona Register, Karen and Morris Schademan, Rick and Michelle Petersen, Paul and Sue Ronning, Ann Zuehlke, Dona Schock, the guys at the White Salmon City Shop, his boss Chris, and all of the people he worked with at White Salmon City Hall over the 30 years he was there, including Mayors Roger Holen, David Poucher and Marla Keethler.

The family would like to thank all of the wonderful doctors and nurses that cared for Ross while at OHSU and the people who visited at the hospital supporting Sue and family: Martin Mealue, Michelle Petersen, AJ Lambert, Bruce Lambert, Pastor Scott and Suzie Dunfee, David, Bobby, Makayla, Brandon and many friends who came to visit at the hospital as well as all of those who had called.

Services are planned for 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 11at Grace Baptist Church, 1280 W. Jewett Blvd., White Salmon. Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson’s Tribute Center, 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River. Condolences may be shared with the family by visiting www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com or www.GardnerFH.com.

Columbia Gorge News, July 1, 2026