Rodney K. Chambers

Rodney K. Chambers, "Rod" was the first-born son and the oldest of the grandchildren on both sides of his family. As such he played the part of leader and positive role model to his brother and his cousins throughout life. Thanks to his doting aunts and uncles and the care taken by his parents you would find that Rod was the best dressed and coiffed toddler in the whole of northeast Ohio. He maintained the classic, clean cut appearance his whole life, with never a five o'clock shadow to alter his appearance. During his high school years at Lincoln he was a student athlete maintaining good grades while he played varsity basketball and football. Because of the strong relationships formed with Lincoln High School friends Rod never missed the five-year reunions over the last 54 years and friendships have remained true.

Rod studied Geology and received a Bachelor of Science degree from Ohio University in 1968. During his four years at college he continued to provide leadership for the student residents and the sports teams. Midway through his senior year Rod met Karen during the intense coursework of Introduction to Motion Pictures and somehow they found the time to fall head over heels in love. Rod married Karen shortly after graduation and they recently celebrated their 50th anniversary together. Because Rod had been a strong, insightful worker each summer for Schlumberger Well Services he was offered a job upon graduation as a field engineer. His 22-year career with Schlumberger provided experiences in oil and gas exploration, leadership / business management, and technology innovations. Rod left Schlumberger in 1990 to dabble in entrepreneurship through the computer training franchise of ExecuTrain. During the busiest years Karen and Rod owned five ExecuTrain locations in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia employing over 60 people. Most recently, Rod and Karen, along with their long-time partners Kirk Chambers and Mark Dobson, have re-envisioned their business into a nationwide event management organization called ContactPointe. Throughout the last 28 years Rod's visionary role in the small business arena has been a critical element to the health and success of the businesses.

Leadership roles for Rod were not limited to business and family as he also served on the Board of Directors and twice as the President of the American Juvenile Arthritis Organization in the 1980s and 1990s. His interest in this organization stemmed from his desire to investigate and apply the best medical therapies available for the juvenile rheumatoid arthritis that his daughter, Kirsten, had been living with since age 3. Rod also invested time and energy with the Healing Hearts organization at OSU Ross Heart Hospital in order to garner the latest information on managing his heart disease. Cardiac advancements throughout the last 21 years of his care have afforded a wonderful quality of life that allowed for many good years with his family and friends.

To know Rod was to know someone who stayed in constant motion. When he was not working you could find him playing tennis, water skiing, snow skiing, target shooting, riding a John Deere (he would make up a reason), creating a project or assisting with someone else's project. In the late 1990s, Rod also found time to become a private pilot, instrument rated, certified to fly a Piper Archer, Piper Saratoga and a Ximango Glider. Well known for his tendency to make an all-day event out of any road trip, we finally came to realize that he had a great appreciation for the journey, not the destination. When he did slow down you would find him reading for self-improvement and relevancy or watching classic movies with Karen. An avid supporter of the arts, Rod and Karen attended more than 200 Broadway shows, symphonies and theater events since their first movie together at Ohio University .

Rod's highest priority was to his family providing support both near and far. 1994 marked his first role as being a grandfather and, like his other roles, he did not take this responsibility lightly. He earned the title "Poppy" and soon became a new resource for hugs, tractor rides, safety lessons, card games, and wise words of wisdom. He always made time to spend with his grandkids and went out of his way to give each one extra special attention. Poppy was an avid fan and attendee of Alison's softball games while also playing an active role in junior sailing events for Olivia, Ian and Parker. In his later years, when his youngest grandkids, Lucas and Will arrived, Poppy never fell short of giving them generous amounts of attention. Poppy continued the tradition of tractor rides, he taught them how to wrestle, provided golf cart rides to "hunt" for bunnies, and he introduced them to the Bee Gees disco music. The consummate storyteller, Rod did not waste an opportunity to pass along family history and life lessons during every interaction. A true educator that cared enough to spend his time improving other people's lives. Rod, you will truly be missed by all you touched.

Rod passed away in Columbus, Ohio, on March 22, 2019. He is preceded in death by his father, Charles C. Chambers, his mother, Beulah I. Chambers, his brother, Louis E. Chambers. He is survived in death by his wife, Karen A. Chambers, his son, Kirk C. Chambers (spouse Emily) and his daughter, Kirsten L. Smith (spouse Steve). He is also survived by his grandchildren: Alison Chambers, Ian Smith, Parker Chambers, Olivia Smith, William Chambers and Lucas Chambers.

The family will be celebrating Rod's life in both Columbus, Ohio and Canton, Ohio:

- In Columbus the receiving hours will be from 4:00 pm - 6:30 pm on Thursday, March 28, 2019 at the Schoedinger Worthington Chapel. An informal Remembrance service will be held during this visitation at 5:00 pm to celebrate Rod's life.

- In Canton the Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 30, 2019 at Reed Funeral Home, 801 Pittsburg Ave N.W., North Canton, Ohio. Receiving hours at the Reed Funeral Home will begin at 10:00 am, Funeral Service to begin at 11:00 am, and the burial will follow at Forest Hill Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Rod's memory may be made to Ross Heart Hospital or American Heart Association in his name. https://www.giveto.osu.edu/makeagift/?Source_Code=WAandFund=310473 or https://www2.heart.org/site/SPageNavigator/donatenow_heart.html