Reverend George Chambers

Watkinsville - The Reverend George Emmett Chambers, 87, passed away peacefully at his home in Watkinsville on May 16, 2011 following a valiant struggle against Parkinson's disease and ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Jeweldine Childs Chambers. The Rev. Chambers was born November 7, 1923, to the Rev. George Alvin Chambers and Nelle Tisinger Chambers. He grew up in the Victory community of Carroll County. He was a graduate of West Georgia College and Emory University, with degrees in Political Science. He also studied at Emory's Candler School of Theology, earning a master's degree in Divinity, and subsequently a Master of Theology degree. He was ordained as an elder of the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1946, promising to serve where he was sent. As a United Methodist minister, he received 14 appointments in which he served as the pastor to 30 churches throughout North Georgia, including United Methodist Churches in Demorest, Clayton, Harlem, Trion, Cleveland, Augusta, Hoschton, Hickory Flat, and Gordon Chapel. His wife, Jeweldine, embraced the life of a preacher's wife and they served together in ministry. They particularly enjoyed serving churches in small towns and rural communities. After 43 years of active ministry, the Rev. and Mrs. Chambers retired in 1989 to live in Watkinsville. Even in retirement, the Rev. Chambers continued preaching often, and his love of the Lord and the church were a true calling for him. He lived a mission of love and service throughout his life. The Rev. Chambers was a lifelong learner with many and varied interests. He had a fascination with languages, and studied Greek, Hebrew, and Spanish for his own enjoyment; he loved to explain the origin or derivation of a word. He was an avid reader in subjects ranging from science to politics to theology. He cultivated his interest in world and current events with subscriptions to numerous magazines and newspapers across the political spectrum and covering a wide range of subjects. He imparted a love of knowledge and understanding to his children, who learned to read in his lap. He never tired of reading to his children and grandchildren, especially from his favorite author, Dr. Seuss. A love of libraries, education, and a deep commitment to always learning more is a legacy he leaves to his family. Growing up on the farm, he plowed a mule as a small boy. As an adult, he continued to love gardening and working the land; he always had a bountiful vegetable garden wherever he lived. He could grow almost any plant and always worked diligently to enhance the landscape of the churches and parsonages where he served. He was ahead of his time with his practice of reuse and recycling, a commitment to conservation of resources, and simple living. The Rev. Chambers had a love of life, and a unique wit and sense of humor unmatched by any other. His was a life well-lived and richly blessed. Pop will be deeply missed but never forgotten, and his memory will be deeply treasured by those who knew and loved him. In addition to his wife, Jeweldine, he is survived by their four children and their spouses, Lowell Chambers and Melanie Sheets, of Porterdale, Wendell and Jodie Chambers, of Chesapeake, Va., Russell and Ava Chambers, of Acworth, and Amy Chambers Dement and Jonathan Dement, of Conyers. The Rev. Chambers delighted in his eight grandchildren: Wesley and Zachary Chambers, Rebecca Chambers (Jonathan) Merritt, Sara, Luke and Hanna Chambers, and Ellen and Drew Dement. He recently celebrated the arrival of a great-grandson, Nathaniel Lee Merritt, who was born in February. He is further survived by his two brothers and their wives, Alvin and Virginia Chambers, of Carrollton, and Eugene and Barbara Chambers, of Ringgold; a niece, Nell Maeser, and a nephew, George A. Chambers, along with their respective families. Although not related by blood, he was also a member of the family in Jeweldine's home community of Woodlawn, in Elbert County, where he served as pastor (1952-1955), where he married his wife, and where he will be buried. There, he is survived by a wide family of brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, and subsequent generations to whom he was affectionately known as Uncle George. A memorial service to celebrate the life of the Rev. George E. Chambers will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 21, 2011, at Watkinsville United Methodist Church, followed by a reception and visitation in the fellowship hall. A burial service will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 22, 2011, at Woodlawn United Methodist Church, in Elbert County. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the North Georgia Conference Barnes Endowment Fund for New Church Development, or to the building funds at Watkinsville or Woodlawn United Methodist Churches. Lord & Stephens West, Bogart, is in charge of arrangements.