Remembering Lambrecht's Love Of Technology

SIOUX FALLS, SD - Friends and family are remembering the four men killed in Friday's Sioux Falls plane crash, including the youngest victim, 30-year-old Joshua Lambrecht.

Djamel Khali Worked with Lambrecht for three and a half years and says his passion and vision for technology was clear from day one. Lambrecht worked on GPS technology at Dakota Fluid Power, but also developed the software to help the city of Sioux Falls assess its winter weather options.

"Josh was a shining star," Khali said.

Khali worked with Lambrecht and says he was known as a software guru who loved to see technology come together.

"Any software he did was well thought out and he did his best," Khali said.

Khali says Lambrecht worked primarily with GPS data, but his most influential work will be felt later this winter. Lambrecht designed the technology used to work the Sioux Falls snow gates.

"He ran the operation of the snow gate to move up and down," Khali said. "But more importantly, he utilized his software to report back to the city and show utilization.  When it was working, when it wasn't working and give them reports."

The city of Sioux Falls will test snow gates for the second straight year this winter in different areas around town. Khali says the city's test parameters wouldn't have been possible without Lambrecht.

"Josh invented the concept, invented the program," Khali said. "It was all Josh."

But despite all of his work on GPS and snow removal systems, Khali says the fact Lambrecht was on his way to a LEGO League competition in Rapid City shows his true dedication to spreading his love of technology.

"Josh was a self-taught programmer," Khali said. "He loved technology, loved to see how things worked and loved to share every aspect of technology."

Lambrecht leaves behind a wife and her two children. Visitation is this Wednesday, starting at 5 p.m. at George Boom Funeral Home. His memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Best Western Ramkota Exhibit Hall.