More detail on this person: CARTERVILLE -- Rex Kendall Chambers, 83, died Sunday, Aug. 19,
2012, at his home.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 23, in Riggin-Pillatsch and Burke Funeral Home in
Carterville, with the Rev. Brad Harlow officiating. Burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery in
Carterville, with military rites performed by Marion VFW Hyde-Pillow Post 1301 and National Guard.
Visitation will begin after 6 p.m. today, Aug. 22, at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to Folds of Honor Foundation, 5800 N. Patriot Drive, Owasso, OK
74055. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.
Rex was born Jan. 22, 1929, in St. Louis, to Harry Kendall and Ruth Irene (Young) Chambers. He
married Elsie Pearl Paulk on March 1, 1952, in Columbus, Ga.; she preceded him in death March 25,
2005. He later married Violet Barnett on Oct. 30, 2007, in Carterville.
He is survived by his wife, Violet Barnett Chambers; daughter and son-in-law, Karen and Rodger
Reeder of De Soto; son and daughter-in-law, Kendal and Lana Chambers of Woodbury, Minn.; sister,
Delores Simpson of Carterville; grandchildren and their spouses, Megan Reeder of Dhaka, Bangladesh,
Benjamin and Catrina Reeder of San Diego, Elliott and Rebecca Chambers of Las Vegas, Kathleen
Reeder of De Soto, Madison Chambers of Fort Bragg, N.C.,
and Molly Reeder of Kadena Air Force Base, Okinawa; and several nieces and nephews.
Rex was preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Irene; wife, Pearl; and sister, Nikki Chambers.
He honorably served our country in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and Vietnam conflict. He also
served overseas in Japan, Italy and Germany and was an Army helicopter and airplane pilot. Rex
retired in 1968 as a chief warrant officer 3 after 20 years of service. After he retired from the
military, he worked for SIU in the computer data processing center.
Rex was a member of First Baptist Church in Carterville, where he served as a deacon. He was also a
member of the Carterville American Legion. He was an avid Miners and Cardinals baseball fan.
Rex enjoyed woodworking, gardening and going out to eat with friends. He was the type of person who
was always there for anybody who needed a helping hand.
Rex was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and brother. He was very proud of his six
grandchildren: an airman, a graphic designer, a Marine, a missionary and two soldiers.
To view this obituary and sign the guest register, visit www.rigginpillatschburkefh.com
Published in The Southern Illinoisan from August 20 to August 22, 2012
http://www.rigginpillatschburkefh.com/id57.html
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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