Vicki Lynn Lambert Krebs, 60, entered the gateway to heaven on Sept. 9, 2009.

She was totally at peace knowing she can embrace eternal life in the presence of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and without the burden of her 22-year fight with breast and bone cancer.

Vicki was born in Wewoka, Okla., on Nov. 28, 1948, the eldest of four children born to George and Wanda Lambert.

In 1958 she moved with her family to Tioga, N.D. She graduated from Tioga High School in 1967 and attended the University of North Dakota before moving to Denver in 1971.

She worked at several banks before entering the property management side of real estate. In 1979, Vicki met her knight in shining armor, her best friend, love of her life, and devoted companion, Doug Krebs.

They were married in a private ceremony on the shores of New York Lake in the Colorado Rockies on Aug. 25, 1980. Vicki and Doug loved sharing outdoor activities including tennis, hiking, backpacking, golf, skiing, biking, kayaking, rafting, photography, a little horseback riding and exploring the unknown.

Over the next six years Vicki excelled at property management as work assignments took her and Doug to Florida, New Jersey, Ohio and Kansas. Along the way, she completed a B.A. from Regis College in Denver and the requirements for national recognized designation of Certified Property Manager.

After a year sabbatical from 1986-87, when they traveled to 42 states and New Zealand, Doug and Vicki returned to Kansas City to a new job. Later that year Vicki was diagnosed with breast cancer and her long fight began. They moved to Helena in 1988 to be near to her parents in Missoula.

After seven years with the City of Helena personnel and planning departments, she enrolled in a Master of Professional Consulting program at the University of Great Falls. After completing her degree and the requirements as a Licensed Clinic Professional Consulter, Vicki started a career as a primary therapist at Shodair Children's Hospital.

Her personal experience and her love of children allowed Vicki to excel and truly make a difference in young people's lives. Her work she so dearly loved was abruptly ended in March 1998 with the recurrence of her cancer. With a prognosis of three years to live, Vicki set out to thrive, not just survive, and recently used her life experiences and talents to create a self-assessment educational guide for cancer patients titled "ARE YOU THRIVING OR JUST SURVIVING?"

In between and among 11 years of continuous chemotherapies, Vicki and Doug went on multiple cruises with her family, East Coast trips to see their children, grandchildren and Doug's family, and for the last four years, went on annual trips to Hawaii to enjoy the military vacation sites. Vicki's trip to Europe with her mother-in-law, Sandy Krebs, in 2000 allowed her to experience "The Passion Play."

She found tremendous solitude and peace in her home. The last few years, Vicki's passions included her Bible studies, sharing God's word, frappes with her girl friends and love of life's blessings.

Perhaps one of Vicki's greatest gifts was her ability and willingness to openly share with all she knew her strengths and spirit, her genuine love of life, and her deep caring for those in need. She was a true disciple of the power of the Holy Spirit and her positive and loving impact on those that knew her will forever be her legacy.

Survivors include her loving husband, Doug; her stepchildren Will (Dawn) of Florida City, Fla., and Robin (Jeff) Tubolino of Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; her five much loved grandchildren; her parents George and Wanda Lambert of Helena; her brother Mike of Helena; sisters Julie Mattson of Clancy and Shelly (Brian) Cornell of Billings; and numerous nephews and nieces.

A memorial service will be held at Calvary Baptist Church, 1225 Knight St., Helena, on Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 4 p.m. Interment will be at the Montana Veterans Cemetery at Fort Harrison.

In lieu of flowers the family requests contributions to the following organizations in the name of Vicki's Living Legacy: Calvary Baptist Church 1225 Knight Street, Helena MT, 59601; St Peter's Hospital Foundation 2475 Broadway, Helena, MT 59601; Camp Make-A- Dream, P. O. Box 1450, Missoula, MT 59806-1450.