Former Amenity Authority Committee member Rich Lambrecht passed away shortly after 7 p.m. Saturday, one day shy of his 71st birthday.
He had been in hospice care. He suffered a stroke April 29.
Funeral services are pending. The Property Owners Association, of which Lambrecht was an active member, plans to dedicate its December meeting to remembering Lambrecht’s life.
After retiring from IBM, Lambrecht and wife Anne moved to a gated community in Tampa. There he began to take an interest in local government.
When the Lambrechts moved to The Villages in 2003 he began participating in local government here.
He was elected to Seat 1 in Community Development District 4. He was also elected to serve on the AAC.
“He was the highest votegetter,” fellow CDD 3 Supervisor Don Deakin said at an event honoring Lambrecht last month. “That’s why he belonged in Seat 1.”
“There will never be a greater advocate for the residents of The Villages than Rich Lambrecht. For those living north of County Road 466 you can think of him every time you ride on the recreation trails or participate in one of the renovated recreation centers, as these were all paid for with settlement funds from the class action lawsuit which would not have taken place without his significant contribution,” said POA President Elaine Dreidame.
And residents of CDD 4 can remember Lambrecht every time they see a sinkhole in the pond along Buena Vista Boulevard, she said.
“Rich single-handedly uncovered documents which resulted in the Developer, as owner of the golf course, having the maintenance responsibility for that pond, instead of the CDD 4 residents,” Dreidame said.
The Lambrechts each pursued their passions.
“He was the government guy and I was the garden gal,” Anne Lambrecht said.
He encouraged his wife to tend to her lush garden at their Village of Calumet Grove home.
On the day he suffered the stroke, he was discovered in Anne’s garden.
Lambrecht’s two children from a previous marriage were here when their father passed way.
In addition to his son Scott and daughter Heather, he leaves behind two grandchildren, J.T. and Jordin.