Camille Elizabeth Isaman was born July 8, 1925, to Lena and Charles Isaman. Camille married Charles Warren Lame on New Year's Day 1945. Together they were blessed with three sons whose military service, educational achievements and love of bridge were a great source of pride.
Camille was a woman of action, as evidenced by her involvement in the United Methodist Church, her Chapter BL P.E.O. group, several bridge clubs and her leadership and advocacy for the Northwest Children's Home. Camille brought many people joy with her superb piano abilities. Not long ago she performed for the residents of Guardian Angel.
Bridge was another passion for both Camille and Warren. Together they lived and traveled the world over, but one thing was always clear: Lewiston was their home. At 89, and after Warren's death, Camille took one more trip, a Rhine River cruise with her dear friend, Marilyn Bengtson. Camille was so happy to travel to Europe one more time with such a special friend.
Camille graduated from Lewiston High School in 1942. She has always been a loyal Bengal, as evidenced by her generous donation to pay for the construction of a permanent "L" atop the Lewiston Hill. Camille also was a strong proponent of the construction of a new high school. In her final days when she was so weak, if someone mentioned the bond levy passing, she produced an ear-to-ear smile. She was sincerely pleased.
Camille was preceded in death by her parents; husband; two eldest sons, Philip and David; and her sister, Ann Harrison.
Survivors include her youngest son, John (Nancy Jo); daughters-in-law Yvonne and Michelle Lame; grandchildren include Marc, Kristi, Charlie and Andrew; and one great-grandson, Sean. Other survivors include her brother-in-law, Burt Harrison; niece Paula (Gerald); and nephew Michael (Sheila). At Camille's request, no service will be held.
Camille's grandson Andrew wrote a beautiful tribute to his grandmother: "My last living grandparent, Camille Lame, passed away yesterday. She was a great woman. She was a loving wife to my grandpa for over 60 years, an accomplished pianist, an American Contract Bridge League Life Master, a philanthropist who donated to many causes in her hometown of Lewiston, Idaho. She was wickedly funny. She was a giver of hard advice. She made the best microwave scrambled eggs. I will miss her more than I can explain."
John and David once asked their mother to help them list her many activities and successes. This was her reply: "I always tried to contribute my share and use what talents I had; whatever I could do, there were many people who could do it better. My parents taught me to be responsible and dependable. Life was a great adventure for me and for almost 68 years, I shared it with a man I loved and respected. I couldn't have had a better life."
Camille was the "Original Deb" of a present-day group of friends called The Debs. Early on in this group friendship, Camille shared the following meditation by a Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, who was a missionary in Japan in the early 1900s. We share it here as it was of great comfort to us.
"The life of a loved one does not end. It simply goes on. The work is done here only to take up its work in the other room. We are not summer flies that live but for the day. Nature teaches us this. The rotation of the trees in the woods; the succession of the seasons; the leaf that falls in the autumn and lives again in the spring; there is no end. It becomes easier to believe this when the other shore begins to be peopled by our loved ones. We can never really feel for others until we have felt for ourselves. Life looks different after the light of a life dear to us has gone on. But that life goes on, not out. The physical presence may be denied to us, but the spiritual takes its place; strengthening, reviving, heartening and uplifting. Those who leave us are never far off. They are very near us and often when the heart is saddest, the load heaviest, it is they who stretch out their hands and give us fresh courage. It is only our eyes that cannot see and our ears that hear not. When we accept that, a final truth remains. The earthly gates close and the heavenly gates open." Camille Lame was truly the Smartest Deb.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to provide landscaping at the new high school. A memorial fund has been created through the Lewiston Independent Foundation for Education (L.I.F.E.). Checks may be made out to L.I.F.E. for the Camille Lame Memorial LHS Landscaping Fund, and mailed to or dropped off at 3317 12th St., Lewiston, ID 83501.
Family and friends extend a sincere thanks to the entire staff at Guardian Angel. You folks always made Camille feel safe, loved and well attended. In the written words of her sons, "Life be honored by all she loved. Memory be cherished for all she gave. May your heart be comforted by all she shared."
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