David Chambers

DAVID FRANK CHAMBERS departed peacefully to meet his Lord, Saturday, December 10, 2016. He was born June12, 1937 to Noel Dunbar Chambers and Ethel Leona (Kingery) Chambers near Tracy, Iowa. David and his five sisters were raised on a farm near Pleasantville, Iowa. He learned the love of hunting and trapping from his Dad and spent many hours at gun shows in later years. He attended Pleasantville schools for twelve years, graduating in 1955. During that time he excelled in FFA, becoming the first Star Farmer of the Pleasantville chapter. He was selected to receive the first Sears Roebuck Foundation herd of purebred Suffolk sheep. Following graduation, David continued farming on the family farm, working at Maytag Company in Newton, Iowa. He enlisted in the Army Reserve, completing his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. David married Virginia Hunt in June 1960. He continued to farm, work at Maytag, and began attending Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa. In 1967, David was accepted in the College of Law at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He graduated from law school in June 1970, and returned to Iowa. David began his career in Des Moines with Legal Aid of Iowa, and later Betroche Law Firm. He soon opened his own practice with his office in downtown Des Moines. David sold his office, and eventually took on the role of attorney for Grimes Asphalt and Paving Company in Grimes, Iowa. In July 1975, David married Marlene Watts, helping to raise and support her three children Faith, Mark, and Hope.

David and Marlene were active members of First Church of the Open Bible. They vacationed in Montana and North Carolina where they would pan for gold and hunt for gemstones. David loved to collect and restore old guns and pocket watches. He had many collections from coins to old empty bottles he scavenged from dump sites. His grandchildren were to become the joy of his life. He loved to attend their activities, take them down to the his family farm, and most importantly teach them about Jesus. As a devout Christian, he sent three of his grandchildren to Des Moines Christian School. He considered the salvation of his family to be his top priority. In his later years, his great-grandchildren once again brought joy and laughter into his home. He and Marlene loved to babysit and teach them about Jesus. Dave was known to spoil the great-grandchildren when their parents weren’t looking.

In September 2009, Marlene Chambers, the love of his life and wife of 40 years passed away. David was heartbroken, and while he cherished his time here with his family, he longed to reunite with Marlene. He was able to stay in his own home for the last seven years with the help of his family and his primary caretaker, Adam. As Alzheimer's and heart disease robbed him of his health, his witty humor and ornery sensibilities never left him. He loved to flirt with the adoring waitresses at the Waveland Cafe, watch Westerns on TV, and reminisce about the good ol’ days. His favorite topic to talk about was heaven. He longed to meet his biblical heroes, reunite with his beloved Marlene, and most of all meet his Lord and Savior, Jesus. He finally got his wish when he passed away peacefully in his sleep the night of December 10, 2016.

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