David Chambers

He was born in Memphis, TN on July 6, 1920 and lived his early years there. During high school he worked at 2 jobs: delivering ice before school, and managing a Goodyear tire store after school.

It was always his dream to become a pilot and his aunt Connie helped him pursue this dream by loaning him money for his first flight lessons. He built up his flight hours with dusting crops and stunt flying.

After high school he attended Memphis State University. It was WWII and he enlisted in the Army Air Corp. He became a flight instructor at a base near Clarksdale, Miss. While there, he met and fell in love with Elizabeth (Lillibet) Metts who lived with her family in Clarksdale. They married in 1943 and began a loving marriage and an extraordinary life together that lasted until her death in 2007. In 1944 Mr. Chambers began his career with American Airlines and became Chief Captain of Flight in Nashville. After 36 years of service, he retired from American Airlines at the age of 60. He was passionate about flying and was qualified to fly everything from small one-engine planes, propeller planes, jets, to 747’s when he retired. After his retirement, he and his wife Elizabeth spent many years traveling together all over the world.

Most notably Mr. Chambers organized and flew the flight taking the late Dr. Martin Luther King from Memphis to Atlanta for burial. He organized the search to recover a Ford Tri-Motor airplane which had crashed in Mexico. The rare airplane was recovered, restored, and now resides in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. He also worked with NASA to launch the first space shuttle.

Mayor Briley of Nashville approached him about bringing air shows to Smyrna, TN. He worked with the Tennessee Air Guard in organizing airshows featuring the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds, and the Guinness Book of World Records event with Monster Truck Big Foot jumping a plane.

Mr. Chambers is preceded in death by his loving wife of 64 years Elizabeth Pillow Metts Chambers. He is survived by his children Joyce Chambers (Bob Horton) and Elizabeth (Betty) Chambers Moody. Grandchildren Shawn (Stephanie) Stockard and Lance (Andrea) Stockard, Lee Steffy and Tracy Steffy. Great Grandchildren Denny Stockard, Aimee Stockard, Tyce Stockard and Lilly Stockard, Chamber Stockard, Chilton Stockard and Chanlyn Stockard. Adan Pineda and Leyla Pineda. Great great Granddaughter Kyah Stockard.

The family would like to thank his caretaker of 5 years Sue Adkins whom he referred to as “Sweet Sue”.

Visitation Tuesday April 2nd from four o’clock in the afternoon until eight o’clock in the evening at Brentwood Roesch Patton Funeral Home, 9010 Church Street East, Brentwood. Second visitation Wednesday April 3rd from ten until eleven o’clock in the morning at Brentwood Roesch Patton Funeral Home. Funeral will begin at eleven o’clock in the Chapel at Brentwood Roesch Patton Funeral Home. Burial following Williamson Memorial.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions in his names may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Shriners or Concord Road YMCA, where Mr. Chambers was the longest standing member.