John Chambers

John E. Chambers, 75, Topeka, died at home, November 2, 2007. He was born March 18, 1932, at Missal, Livingston County, IL, the son of the Rev. William O. and Doris M. (Kramer) Chambers.

John graduated from Huntington High School and attended Huntington College for two years at Huntington, Indiana. He married Betty LaBelle Walz on July 1, 1952.

While in South Dakota, he served in the South Dakota National Guard.

He became a reporter/photographer for the Mitchell Daily Republic (SD). His career as a journalist included being a reporter/photographer at the Huntington Herald-Press, Huntington, IN., state editor for 12 years at the Marion (IN) Leader-Tribune currently known as the Marion Chronicle-Tribune, then city editor at the Idaho State Journal at Pocatello, ID.

Returning to the Midwest, John took on the task of converting the society department at the Topeka Capital-Journal to a family section called "Modern Living." His accomplishments included state editor, editor of the Northern Life and Kansas Plus sections of the Capital-Journal. He then retired in April 1999, with 27 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal. He continued to do free-lance reporting and photography for the paper, later becoming the obituary writer.

John was the founder and first president of the North Topeka Historical Society. Member of the North Topeka Kiwanis Club; Sunrise Optimist Club, and served on the planning committees for both the Great Overland Station in North Topeka and the North Topeka YMCA swimming pool.

John was a bagpiper for the Pipers of the Plains acknowledging his Scottish, Scots-Irish and English heritage.

He is survived in death by his wife, Betty, and five children; Brenda Janeen Zimmerman (Noel), Topeka; Steven Wade Chambers (Beverly Huddleston), Topeka; Bobbi Sue Gardner (Danny) Jacksonville, Florida; Sandra LyNette Reinhart, Jefferson City, MO, and Stuart Kent Chambers (Julie Ann Novak), Smithville, MO; two sisters, Margaret Poling (Harold) Berrien Springs, MI, and Mary Crittenden (Allan), South Windsor, CT. Also surviving are 12 grandchildren and one step-great grandchild.

Preceding him in death were his parents; Betty's parents, the Rev. Charles and LaVerna Walz; a brother, William A. (Carol) Chambers, CA, and two grandchildren, Steven Nathaniel Chambers and Nathan Daniel Reinhart.

John will lie in-state at Penwell-Gabel Parker-Price Chapel, 245 NW Independence, Topeka, Kansas. Public viewing will be held from 2:00 - 6:00 p.m., Thursday, November 8 with family visitation from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Funeral services are scheduled for Friday, November 9, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. with internment following the service at Rochester Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made in memory of John E. Chambers to Huntington College Scholarship Fund.