Ex-Executive Leaves Money To Gay Group Man Bequeaths $450,000 To Honor Son Who Died Of Aids

A former Boeing executive has left $450,000 to the Pride Foundation, the largest gift ever bequeathed to a gay and lesbian community foundation, foundation officials believe.

William S. Lambert died March 30, and left $450,000 to the group in honor of his son Gray Lambert, who died of AIDS in 1991 at age 33.

“To me, the simple message of this bequest is the importance of family, and of honoring the ongoing commitments of those we love,” said Ted Lord, Pride Foundation executive director.

Lambert asked the foundation to give priority to supporting Lambert House, a Capitol Hill center for gay and lesbian youth named for his son.

Gray Lambert was a former president of the Association of Gay and Lesbian Youth Advocates and was a volunteer for the Seattle Counseling Services for Sexual Minorities.

“Bill was very supportive of his son Gray and was very interested in perpetuating Gray’s memory and the work that was of interest to Gray,” said Doug Lawrence, executor of Lambert’s will. “That’s why he left this bequest to Pride, in further support of what Gray would have wanted to do.”

Arlis Stewart, who helped found Lambert House, said William Lambert often attended open houses at the center after his son died.

“This is the magnificent thing that Bill has done,” she said. “It suggests that for a lot of young gay and lesbian people and adults, there’s increasing family support.”