William Lambrecht, of Sheboygan, passed away Monday evening, November 11, 2019 in hospice at Aurora Sheboygan Memorial Hospital surrounded by his family. He was 77 years old. Born on February 2, 1942 in Merrill, WI, Bill was the son of the Harold and Sadie (nee Houston) Lambrecht. Bill graduated from Merrill High School in 1960. He was a member of the Silver M Club and was honored as a Golden M’er for football. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater for a year and then graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 1964 with B.S. Degree with a double major in History and Biology. On June 13, 1964 he was united in marriage to Mary Anne Nohr at St. Robert’s Catholic Church in Merrill. He then accepted a teaching assistantship in American history at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where he received his M.S. Degree in American History in 1966. Bill also completed post-graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin, classes through the University Minnesota, UW-Stout and UW-Platteville. He was a member of Phi Alpha Theta, an academic honor society to promote the study of history.
Bill was a history teacher for the Sheboygan Area School District at North High School for thirty-three years. He served as North’s Social Studies Department Chairman and district Social Studies Chairman. He also served as coordinator for the Gifted and Talented Program at North. He was given recognition as Teacher of the Year by the Sheboygan Area School District for the 1991-1992 school year, the Sheboygan Elk’s Lodge 299 and the Sheboygan Lakeshore Kiwanis Club for the 1990-1991 school year. He received the Senator Herb Kohl Educational Foundation Achievement Award in 1992. Bill always enjoyed working with the students at North and encouraged them to think critically and use the lessons of history as a means for improving the quality of life for everyone. To do so he used a variety of methods including classroom simulations and historical mock trials. He actively supported student efforts to create a sister-city connection with Shuya in the old Soviet Union. In 1990 he traveled to Shuya to deliver a proclamation generated by students from North High working with the mayor and city council of Sheboygan. The proclamation officially recognized Shuya as a sister-city. Inspired by his students he then guided their efforts to bring a young boy from Belarus (inflicted by a brain tumor after the Chernobyl nuclear accident) to the United States for treatment. Then he and his students created the Children’s Universal Relief Fund for helping other children with cancer. Bill was a life member of Sheboygan Elks Lodge 299 and served on the local National Foundation Scholarship committee. He was a member of the Renaissance Society in support of the Mead Public Library. After retirement Bill enjoyed lap swimming and favorite outdoor activities such as golf, biking and tending to flowers on his patio and his yard. Hooked on being “up north”, he especially enjoyed annual trips to cottages in northern Wisconsin with his wife, children and grandchildren. Many other trips were enjoyed to Europe, Hawaii and the U.S. mainland accompanied by his wife, Mary and often his sister Diane and brother-in-law DuWayne Kleinschmidt.
Bill is survived by his loving wife Mary, daughter Sarah (Donald) Murphy of Manitowoc, son Alan of Milwaukee and grandchildren Aaron and Carlie Murphy. Other survivors include his sister Lois (Darroll) Wendorf of Merrill, brother Dennis Lambrecht of Glendale, AZ, sister Diane (the late DuWayne) Kleinschmidt of Wausau, brother-in-law David (Debbie) Nohr of Wind Lake, WI, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Sadie Lambrecht and nine siblings: Vernette Gruett, Harold Lambrecht, Ruth McNeil, Dorothy Jankowsky, Carol Stiver, Ellen Holt, Janice Bloomfield, Dale Lambrecht and David Lambrecht.
A time of visitation will be held from 10:00AM-1:00PM on Saturday, November 16, 2019 at Ballhorn Chapels Funeral and Cremation Care Center, 1201 N. 8th St. in Sheboygan. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS or HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. Please visit www.ballhornchapels.com to leave online condolences. The family would like to thank Aurora Hospital and Hospice staff, Dr. Bryan Schmitt, Countryside Manor, Home Instead and Tender Hearts Senior Care for their loving and attentive care of Bill.