Eddie L. Chambers

Eddie Chambers Obituary Born Eddie Leo Chambers to Leila and Brown Chambers on March 3, 1930, in Seale, Alabama, Ed was lovingly known as “Mem” in his youth. His early years growing up in a sharecropping family were harsh, marked by extreme poverty, the Great Depression, racism, and violence; however, these experiences planted in him a determination to conquer anything that came his way. He carried memories of this time his entire life, memories that fueled his determination to survive and conquer anything. Yet even at a young age, he found hope, faith, and salvation through Jesus. On July 2, 1943, at 10:00 p.m., at the age of 13, while the choir sang “Time is Winding up,” he dedicated his life to Christ. [A picture containing building, outdoor, old, black Description automatically generated] School was a welcome respite from harsh manual labor and exposed him to books for the first time. He recalled that he was simply obeying his mother’s words—“Remember everything the teacher tells you”—when he once memorized an entire book. Though a lack of food caused him to struggle in school, his exceptional memory and math skills earned him recognition and continued educational opportunities. He attended Radcliff High School, where he excelled in basketball and football. His grades and athleticism earned him a full scholarship to attend Benedict College, where he studied biology and engineering. While in college, Ed Chambers met and fell in love with Lee S. Frierson, whom he married on September 3, 1951. To this union, Ronald Dietrich, Van Steven, Kenneth John, and Iris Faye Chambers were born. Ed joined the Army at the time when it was being desegregated, and he served in the Engineering Division during the Korean War. As his tour ended, he advocated for equal promotions on behalf of Black soldiers. As a result, he was placed under military house arrest for a week. For his service, he was awarded the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, and the Presidential Unit Citation. After the war, Ed moved to Cleveland, where he enrolled in classes at Fenn State College (Cleveland State University) and John Carroll to advance his knowledge of chemistry and engineering. Early on in his career, he was selected by the Urban League to desegregate the white-collar management at Amax Corporation and became their first African American manager. He went on to work at Alloy and Chemical Corporation, Clevite Corporation, Gould Ocean Division, and Westinghouse. At Westinghouse, he worked on wavelength systems and built three multimillion-dollar laboratories. Though Ed retired in 1992, he never ceased working. He served as an elder, deacon, and in numerous chairperson positions in his church. He particularly enjoyed developing programs that enriched and empowered the lives of youth. As part of his church and community service, he served as a Boy Scout leader; funded youth sports events, including the Warrensville Boys Basketball league; and recognizing the need for male leadership in Black athletics, founded and served as president of Dad’s Club and The Boosters. In 1967, Ed volunteered for the Carl Stokes mayoral campaign and later for the Louis Stokes Congressional campaign. When his family moved to Warrensville Heights, he advocated for equal treatment for Black students at school board and city council meetings. He eventually became a precinct committeeman and ward leader. In politics, he served as campaign chairmen for David Whitehead’s and Marcia Fudge’s mayoral race. His work on these mayoral elections led to a historic defeat that broke barriers for Blacks in Warrensville Heights and created opportunities and growth for the community. He later served as precinct committeeman and founded the Warrenville Heights Democratic Club, where he was known for his untiring willingness to campaign door to door and organize voter registration drives. In 2018, Ed spearheaded the campaign to pass a multimillion-dollar municipal bond issued to build new elementary, middle, and high schools in Warrensville Heights. To acknowledge his leadership and service, the new elementary school added a STEM lab and named it the Eddie Chambers Innovation Lab. This honor recognized Ed’s life-long goal—to give Black students access to the technological resources and opportunities that he never had. During a tour of the new lab, Ed lingered behind the crowd in an attempt to hide the fact that he was welling up with tears. When someone noticed, he explained, “I want these kids to know that you can have a horrible start in life but still make something of yourself.” His achievements did not end with his work and community service. Through the Forest City Tennis Club, Ed coached tennis at the Warrensville Heights Recreation Center for 20 years. His passion for providing opportunities for youth led him to raise money to fund tennis scholarships for the community. An athlete himself, Ed traveled and competed on the national level with the American Tennis Association, wining multiple national doubles and singles championships. In 2018, he was acknowledged as an American Tennis Association Legend. Above all his accomplishments, Ed loved his family and particularly enjoyed family dinners and conversations. He was engaging and always willing to talk to others, especially the young. He was a generous patriarch, always willing to help and support his family, and he was wise, offering words of wisdom and encouragement to all who crossed his path. This quintessential family man attended all programs, games, track meets, concerts, and plays in which his children and grandchildren participated. Ed Chambers outlived all of his 12-sibling family. To cherish his memory, he leaves behind Lee Chambers, his loving wife of 71 years, and four children, Ronald (Michelle) of Cleveland Heights, Van (Deborah) of Columbus, Kenneth of Detroit, and Iris of University Heights. His legacy also includes eight grandchildren—Kenneth Jr., Steven, Shanelle, Kenneth Williams, Michael, Carolyn, Barbara, Sheri, and Kylan—and seven great grandchildren—Mylik, Martell, Cali, Hanna, Samira, William, and Olivia. Although he was born in difficult times, Ed Leo Chambers not only persevered but also excelled in life. He accomplished great things in science, politics, civil rights, and tennis all while being a loving husband, father, and grandfather and a pillar in his church and community. Ed will be remembered for all these things, and his legacy lives on through the opportunities he created for others. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Eddie L. Chambers, please visit our floral store. Read More

Eddie L. Chambers

March 3, 1930 - January 26, 2022