Edward L Chambers Jr.

Edward L. Chambers, Jr., 73, passed away on December 25, 2019, from a massive heart attack while cleaning up after a wonderful Christmas breakfast. He had enjoyed his favorite dinner the night before, followed by a walk through Colonial Williamsburg and many laughs watching his favorite movie, A Christmas Story.

Ed was the proud son of Edward and Vera Chambers. His fondest memories of growing up in High Point, NC, were hunting and fishing with his father and waterskiing at Hyco Lake.

Ed will be missed so deeply by his wife, Jane, son Jack, stepson Ben, sister Gwynn, his loyal cats and his legion of friends. Ed was a man who collected friends wherever he went. Some of his friends had been in his life forever, such as his law school and golfing friends, while some were new, like his table tennis buddies. When he married Jane, he welcomed her friends and family with open arms. All were dear to him.

Ed also loved cars, good Scotch, classic rock and roll, cooking on his Big Green Egg, mixing a mean mint julep and ACC basketball. No story about Ed would be complete without mentioning his devotion to his beloved Wolfpack at N.C. State University, from which he graduated with a degree in Engineering in 1968.

After graduation from N.C. State, with his draft deferral over, Ed was “invited” to serve in the U.S. Army for two years. He was fortunate to be sent to Germany instead of Vietnam. While in Germany, Ed and his wife, Mary, were blessed with the birth of their daughter, Angela. After Germany, Ed, Mary and Angela moved to Yorktown so that Ed could attend law school at William & Mary. They lived in Yorktown for many years, where Ed loved watching Angela play basketball for York High School. York won the state championship twice with Angela as their point guard. He could not have been more proud. Ed and Mary tragically lost Angela in 1989.

Ed practiced law on the peninsula for more than 40 years. He was a member of the York-Poquoson Bar and served as President from 1988 to 1989. His favorite era of his career was his long partnership with Prentis Smiley in their office on Route 17. He dearly loved his loyal assistants Cathy Dale and Jessica Deach. Ed was very active with the Virginia State Bar and so enjoyed the lifelong friends he made there. He served on many committees and task forces, including Bar Council, the Executive Committee and the Committee on Professionalism. He was inducted as a member of the Virginia Law Foundation in 2010. He also served for many years as a Commissioner in Chancery, a Special Justice and as a substitute judge for the 9th Judicial Circuit.

Ed was dedicated to serving his community. He fondly remembered his work as a Board member of the March of Dimes, the Yorktown Bicentennial Committee, Friends of the Yorktown Victory Center and the Yorktown Arts Foundation.

Ed was very happily retired from the practice of law these past few years. When not golfing, playing table tennis, performing weddings in a pink seersucker suit or smoking a cigar, Ed attended many classes at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute which helped satisfy his life-long love of learning.

Ed’s last days were happy ones. He loved living in his new house with Jane and being able to walk to Colonial Williamsburg and all it has to offer. He pronounced his man cave “perfect” and spent hours up there listening to records he’d been collecting since the 60’s. Ed was so proud of the boys’ service in the U.S. Army and couldn’t wait to see where life would take them. He and his brother-in-law, Joe, were about to head out on an adventure to Iceland to see the northern lights.

Ed Chambers enjoyed a life well-lived and will be remembered with love and respect by so many.

Services will take place at Wessex Hall at Williamsburg Winery, 5800 Wessex Hundred, Williamsburg on Tuesday, January 14 at 3:00 PM with the reception to follow.