Ida Wilma Chambers

Ida Wilma Chambers, age 95, died May 23rd, 2017 at Pine Shadows Manor, Sylvester.
She was born February 25, 1922 in Miller County, Georgia to the late Smiley B. Nix and Amanda Womble Nix. She married her high school sweet heart and the love of her life, Bill Chambers, Sr. on June 17, 1939 in Miller County. During World War II while her husband served in U.S. Army for four years in France and Germany, she lived with her parents and worked at the shipyard in Panama City, Fl. She was a member of a traveling gospel quartet who traveled and sang in Georgia and north Florida. After the war, she and her husband moved to Albany and later in 1962 moved to Lee County. She retired from Coats and Clark after 19 years where she was a supervisor and color matcher. After her retirement, she operated Bill's Handy Corner, Chambers Realty, Chambers Mobile Home Park, and Chambers Hardware and Mobile Home Supply. She was very active in Lee County and her community. She was a devoted Christian, faithful, and loyal servant who donated resources to children, young adults, families, and charities. She was choir director and treasurer of Kinchafoonee Baptist Church where she attended church and taught Sunday school for many years. She loved her family, gatherings, good food, fishing, karaoke, old fashioned gospel music, sings, and camp meetings. She was a charter member of the Lee County Chamber of Commerce and helped setup the first satellite office for voter registration. She was a charter organizer and lobbied in Washington, D.C. to bring doctors to Lee County some 35 years ago, now known as Lee Medical Arts/Albany Primary Health Care. She was one of three women to serve on an electric membership cooperative board and served Sumter Electric Membership Corporation from 1982 until her retirement in 2011 where she was secretary/treasurer for 19 years. She served as a member on the Lee County Utility and Housing Authority. She was a former Lee County Woman of the Year. She supported her husband and her son who owned an automobile dealership some 52 years until it's closing in 2010. She also supported her husband who was Lee County Commissioner for 16 years and assisted in creation of the Lee County Volunteer Fire Department.

At age 78, she was a candidate for the Georgia House of Representative's District 137.
In July 2003, at age 81, she was involved in a near fatal wreck in Lee County where she spent 24 nights in intensive care, an additional 75 days in the hospital, and a year in rehabilitation. Before her wreck and after her recovery, she lobbied to have an Intersection light on US 19 and Century Road because of the dangerous intersection where others had wrecks resulting in multiple injuries or deaths. In 2005, the Georgia General Assembly, House Resolution 1548 renamed the dangerous intersection as Chambers Crossing. After 11 years, the light was finally installed in 2016.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and two sisters, Audrey Shea and Ola Foster.
She is survived by her son "Bill" William H. Chambers, Jr. and daughter-in-law, Cheryl "Sherry" Chambers. Granddaughter, Andrea "Andi" and her husband, Bubba Lamberth, Sale City, GA and a grandson, Billy Chambers and his wife Amanda "Mandy" of Leesburg. Her great-grandchildren are Trent Hester and his fiance, Kelsey Rice, Tifton; Sydney and Trace Lamberth, Sale City; and Madyson Chambers, Leesburg. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 night from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Mathews Funeral Home. Her celebration of life and service will be held on Thursday, May 25, 2017 at 11:00 am at Mathews Funeral Home. Ross Powell will officiate. Interment will follow at the Leesburg Cemetery.

Those desiring to make contributions do so to the Albany Community Hospice or a church/charity of choice