BILLY LEE "RED" CHAMBERS, age 87, died Saturday, August 2, 2014, at his residence in Charleston.

He was born October 9, 1926 in Anniston to the late Benjamin Franklin and Emma Pollock Chambers and had lived in Mississippi County his entire life. Employed as a bookkeeper for Clay County Cotton Company for a number of years, in 1966 he accepted a position with Production Credit Association retiring in 1989 as Vice President. He was a member of the First Christian Church in Charleston where he served as Treasurer for 50 years and Sunday School superintendent and was a member of the Charleston Kiwanis Club having served as former President and in other various capacities. He served with the U.S. Army during WW II serving in Japan and Okinawa and was discharged in 1946 as a Staff Sergeant.


On December 21, 1949 he married Bobbye Scott who survives of the home.

Also surviving are one son, Kevin (Susan) Chambers of Atoka, TN; one daughter, Tracy (Kevin) Willoughby of Macon, GA; one daughter in law, Beverly Chambers of Verona, MS; two brothers, Shirley (Lois) Chambers and Charles (Mildred) Chambers all of Anniston; one sister, Margie Ahlfield of Anniston; one sister in law, Luci Chambers of Sikeston; six grandchildren, Brandy Chambers, Billy Chambers, Ellis Chambers, Sydney Chambers, Bleve (Jacqueline) Willoughby, and Brooke (Jake) Peterman; and seven great grandchildren, Tracy Ann Chambers, Donna Johnson, Abigail Johnson, Bleve Thompson Willoughby, Graham Chambers Willoughby, Mary Louise Willoughby, and Jacob Hayes Peterman, also several nieces and nephews and a special friend with whom he worked with for over 23 years, Paulette Spence.


He was preceded in death by one son, Rodney Lee Chambers; two brothers, Lester Chambers and Ben Chambers; one brother in law, Victor Ahlfield; and one sister in law, Sue Chambers.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Monday, August 4, 2014, at the McMikle Funeral Home where Funeral services will be conducted on Tuesday, August 5, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. Martin Lucas of East Prairie, and Rev. Jim Malugen, pastor of First Christian Church in Charleston, will officiate.

Missouri Military Honor Guard will conduct Graveside rites at the IOOF Cemetery. Interment will follow under the direction of McMikle Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Jim Burke, Emmett Burke, Bennie Bruenderman, Richard Forbey, Clay Scott, and Danny Ahlfield.

Honorary pallbearers will be Bob Thomason, Sam Babb, Donnie Sams, Jack Feezor, Ed Barnhill, Richard Hutcheson and David Scott.

Memorial contributions may be given to First Christian Church, 109 S. Virginia Street, Charleston, MO 63834 or the American Cancer Society, 106 Farrah, Suite 104, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701.