Paul Watson Lambert

Paul Watson Lambert, devoted husband and father, kind and steadfast friend, dedicated and consummate legal scholar -- and the most kind and generous soul one could ever know -- passed away peacefully on January 9, 2023, late in the evening by the side of his loving wife of 56 years, Sandy. Born in Santurce, Puerto Rico in 1946, Paul later moved with the family to grow up in Miami --presumably comfortable in what he would in later years jokingly refer to as his “bilingualism.” He ultimately attended Miami Senior High School where he met the “girl of his dreams” at the ripe age of 15. Paul and Sandy both went on to attend FSU, married in 1966 as undergrads, and Paul went on to earn his law degree in 1971. Choosing to remain in Florida’s capital with that shiny new J.D. degree under his belt, Paul rose quickly in state government circles. Making a name for himself as a bright, young staff attorney in the office of Senate President Dempsey J. Barron, Paul later served with distinction as Board Counsel to several state licensing boards, including the Florida Board of Chiropractic Medicine, while employed in the Office of the Florida Attorney General. Paul’s acumen in health care and administrative law did not go unnoticed. Once making the leap into private practice, he quickly found his guidance and counsel in high demand. Health care associations across the landscape -- podiatrists, dental hygienists and massage therapists among other disciplines -- all came knocking, each seeking his well-mannered sagacity. But none quite captured his interest and attention more that the fledgling Florida Chiropractic Association. Chiropractic was quickly making a name for itself as a viable alternative to traditional medicine and that interest and intrigue led Paul on a 44-year journey seeking to guide and mold the legal and regulatory environment for the profession in Florida as the association’s General Counsel. Much of the practice environment Florida chiropractic physicians enjoy today was at one time or another either, authored, nuanced, or at least touched, by Counselor Lambert. But Paul’s varied interests and abilities never knew they had boundaries, so mid-career he decided it was time to take the Florida success story nationwide, envisioning and creating the National Association of Chiropractic Attorneys. As NACA’s Creator, Founder and Chief Cheerleader, Paul took little time in establishing a new nationwide organization dedicated to sharing the successes, failures, and everything in between relating to the legal environment for chiropractic physicians practicing across the USA. In appreciation, NACA ultimately deemed him “President for Life” -- crediting him with an “encyclopedic memory” of all things chiropractic, while thanking NACA First Lady Sandy Lambert for her outgoing and infectious graciousness. Paul is survived by gracious “First Lady” Sandy, his loving daughter Sally and son-in-law Shawn Turner of Los Angeles, brother Bruce Lambert and his wife Florence of Marianna, his sister Phrieda Lambert Tuten and her husband Richard of Crawfordville, together with numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. (Spoiler Alert: The nephews have all agreed to serve as “Paul-Bearers” -- conditioned on their ability to master the fine art of tying-on and wearing one of Paul’s colorful bowties.) Bevis Funeral Home, 200 John Knox Road in Tallahassee, is handling very thoughtful arrangements including a family visitation starting at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday January 22, with a final tribute service in the chapel starting at 11:00 a.m. -- which is planned to include a number of his family members and friends sharing colorful stories of a life very well lived. Following the service, Masonic funeral rites will be performed graveside at Roselawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Children’s Hospital, PO Box 37130, Tallahassee, FL. 32315. Todd Wahlquist with Bevis Funeral Home(850-385-2193, www.bevisfh.com) is assisting the Lambert family with their arrangements.

Tributes

Paul Watson Lambert

September 27, 1946 - January 9, 2023