In Memory of...
Forsyth . . . Ezma Smith Chambers passed away Thursday, January 29, 2015. Graveside services will be held at 3:00 p.m., Saturday, January 31, 2015, at Forsyth City Cemetery. Rev. Ken Stephens will officiate. The family will greet friends the day of the service from 1:00 p.m. until 2:45 p.m., at Monroe County Memorial Chapel.
Mrs. Chambers, the daughter of the late Henry Cleavy Smith and Minnie McKleroy Smith was born March 6, 1917, in Jasper County, Georgia. She and her husband worked side by side as owners of Joe Chambers Sporting Goods and Joe Chambers Sinclair Station. Mrs. Chambers was a member of Riverview Christian Church in Valley, Alabama and was an honorary member of Town and County Garden Club of Forsyth.
Survivors include her husband of seventy-eight years, Joseph “Joe” Pierce Chambers of Forsyth; daughter and son in law, Angela and Rickey Harbuck of Forsyth; granddaughter and her husband, Dulcie and John Whitaker of Macon and sister, Lavonia Wainwright of Fort Valley; several nieces and nephews.
The family requests no flowers but suggests donations to Meals on Wheels, c/o First Baptist Church, 95 West Morse Street, Forsyth, GA 31029 or to Pine Pointe Hospice, 6261 Peake Road, Macon, Ga 31210.
Monroe County Memorial Chapel has charge of arrangements.
As published on the Monroe County Memorial Chapel website.
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Joe and Ezma Chambers Mark 78 Years
By: Diane Glidewell
Published in The Reporter, March 5, 2014.
Joe and Ezma Chambers promised to love and honor one another for the rest of their lives before a justice at the Jasper County courthouse when they were both 18 years old. They were married on Saturday, Feb. 15, since they both had to work at the mill the day before on Valentine's Day. That was in 1936, and they have been life partners ever since.
As they celebrated their 78th wedding anniversary, Joe and Ezma seemed happiest just being beside one another in the house they have shared together on Joe Chambers Road in Forsyth for 57 years. Of course, it wasn't called Joe Chambers Road when they moved there in 1956. It was a dirt road with only a couple of houses on it then, but like most of Monroe County it gained asphalt and lots more houses over the years.
Ezma remembers that she first saw Joe when they were five. Her family had just moved to East Juliette where her grandparents lived, and she had to pass Joe's house to get to her grandparents' house. Joe was on a tricycle.
"I looked back clean all the way to grandpa's house," said Ezma.
They went to school together in East Juliette, and then both of them went to work in the mill when they were 14. Their daughter, Angela, said her mother always said Joe was the most handsome boy in the village, and her father always said Ezma was as cute as a button.
When Ezma moved to Thomaston to work in the mill there, Joe would borrow a car to go see her. When they decided to marry, they had the blessing of both families. When Ezma's brother-in-law’s car that they had planned to drive to the courthouse wouldn't crank, Dr. Smith, the town doctor, loaned them his car. They first drove to the Jones County courthouse, but the justice would not marry them because she thought they were too young. So they headed to Monticello where they found a judge glad to perform the wedding ceremony. After living with their parents for a month or so they were able to get a house in the Juliette mill village. Together, they only brought home $27 a week, but the mill furnished their house, water, and electricity.
"It was real good back in those days," recalled Joe.
The first thing they bought after they married was a bread tray that Ezma used for the biscuits she made on their kerosene stove. They still have the tray. Living on Joe's wages, Ezma sealed hers up and slid them under the bed each payday until there was enough to buy a Model T for $150.
Joe worked several extra jobs, at a grocery store, at a little stand selling cold drinks and candy, and selling blocks of ice around town in the days before refrigerators. But he also played baseball for the mill, and he was good.
"Back then every town had a mill team, and the mill would give you a job to play ball," said Joe.
In the days before television, malls, and computers, everyone went to the town baseball games to cheer on the hometown favorites. Joe played second base for Juliette, Forsyth, and Silver Town in Thomaston. He moved up to playing semi-pro and playing pro in the Georgia-Alabama and Georgia State leagues. There were often 2,000, 3,000 or even 4,000 spectators at the games.
In 2005, Joe was one of the first players inducted into the Georgia Class D Minor League Baseball Hall of Fame in Moultrie. Altogether, Joe played in baseball leagues for 16 or 17 years, going to Kansas twice for league World Series. He held a record for triples.
Ezma went to Joe's home games, listened to games that were on the radio, and saved every clipping about him from the newspaper. She nursed him through a few baseball injuries , like an ankle sprained sliding, a hit in the head, and four teeth knocked out with a baseball.
The 1950's were another era for Joe and Ezma and Angela, their only child. Joe ran the Sinclair Service Station on the Forsyth square, where the parking lot of Monroe County Bank is now. Ezma ran a country store on Juliette Road. Later they opened a sporting goods store across from the Sinclair station, where a pawn shop is now. For years, she ran the sporting goods store, and he ran the Sinclair station across the street.
Joe served two terms as a Monroe County commissioner in the late 1950's and early 1960's. Ezma was known throughout the county for her tatting and quilting, some of which she sold at the sporting goods store.
Joe also drove a Monroe County school bus for 17 years. He washed all the buses for the school system at his station; so they asked him to start driving, too. When he retired in 1980, having rented the sporting goods store and sold the other building, he hung out with the coffee crowd at Lawson & Cromer Drug Store until he decided he might as well start working there and delivered medicine for several years.
At 96, Joe and Ezma are still enjoying life and enjoying it together. They celebrated their 78th wedding anniversary with family, including a barbecue lunch and their favorite chocolate layer cake. Their daughter and son-in-law, Angela and Ricky Harbuck, moved in with them four years ago so they are able to keep living where they are most comfortable. The two couples divided the house so they have their own space. The Chambers have one granddaughter, Dulcie Harbuck, who lives with her husband, John Whitaker, in Macon.
What is Joe and Ezma's secret to a marriage of 78 years?
"Don't get mad at the same time," said Joe.
"Hang in there," said Ezma. "When you get to 97, you'll know what I'm talking about."
"I don't ever remember them arguing," said Angela. That says a lot when you're talking about 78 years, and Joe is quick to remind you that they are starting on 79.
In Memory of...
Forsyth . . . Ezma Smith Chambers passed away Thursday, January 29, 2015. Graveside services will be held at 3:00 p.m., Saturday, January 31, 2015, at Forsyth City Cemetery. Rev. Ken Stephens will officiate. The family will greet friends the day of the service from 1:00 p.m. until 2:45 p.m., at Monroe County Memorial Chapel.
Mrs. Chambers, the daughter of the late Henry Cleavy Smith and Minnie McKleroy Smith was born March 6, 1917, in Jasper County, Georgia. She and her husband worked side by side as owners of Joe Chambers Sporting Goods and Joe Chambers Sinclair Station. Mrs. Chambers was a member of Riverview Christian Church in Valley, Alabama and was an honorary member of Town and County Garden Club of Forsyth.
Survivors include her husband of seventy-eight years, Joseph “Joe” Pierce Chambers of Forsyth; daughter and son in law, Angela and Rickey Harbuck of Forsyth; granddaughter and her husband, Dulcie and John Whitaker of Macon and sister, Lavonia Wainwright of Fort Valley; several nieces and nephews.
The family requests no flowers but suggests donations to Meals on Wheels, c/o First Baptist Church, 95 West Morse Street, Forsyth, GA 31029 or to Pine Pointe Hospice, 6261 Peake Road, Macon, Ga 31210.
Monroe County Memorial Chapel has charge of arrangements.
As published on the Monroe County Memorial Chapel website.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Joe and Ezma Chambers Mark 78 Years
By: Diane Glidewell
Published in The Reporter, March 5, 2014.
Joe and Ezma Chambers promised to love and honor one another for the rest of their lives before a justice at the Jasper County courthouse when they were both 18 years old. They were married on Saturday, Feb. 15, since they both had to work at the mill the day before on Valentine's Day. That was in 1936, and they have been life partners ever since.
As they celebrated their 78th wedding anniversary, Joe and Ezma seemed happiest just being beside one another in the house they have shared together on Joe Chambers Road in Forsyth for 57 years. Of course, it wasn't called Joe Chambers Road when they moved there in 1956. It was a dirt road with only a couple of houses on it then, but like most of Monroe County it gained asphalt and lots more houses over the years.
Ezma remembers that she first saw Joe when they were five. Her family had just moved to East Juliette where her grandparents lived, and she had to pass Joe's house to get to her grandparents' house. Joe was on a tricycle.
"I looked back clean all the way to grandpa's house," said Ezma.
They went to school together in East Juliette, and then both of them went to work in the mill when they were 14. Their daughter, Angela, said her mother always said Joe was the most handsome boy in the village, and her father always said Ezma was as cute as a button.
When Ezma moved to Thomaston to work in the mill there, Joe would borrow a car to go see her. When they decided to marry, they had the blessing of both families. When Ezma's brother-in-law’s car that they had planned to drive to the courthouse wouldn't crank, Dr. Smith, the town doctor, loaned them his car. They first drove to the Jones County courthouse, but the justice would not marry them because she thought they were too young. So they headed to Monticello where they found a judge glad to perform the wedding ceremony. After living with their parents for a month or so they were able to get a house in the Juliette mill village. Together, they only brought home $27 a week, but the mill furnished their house, water, and electricity.
"It was real good back in those days," recalled Joe.
The first thing they bought after they married was a bread tray that Ezma used for the biscuits she made on their kerosene stove. They still have the tray. Living on Joe's wages, Ezma sealed hers up and slid them under the bed each payday until there was enough to buy a Model T for $150.
Joe worked several extra jobs, at a grocery store, at a little stand selling cold drinks and candy, and selling blocks of ice around town in the days before refrigerators. But he also played baseball for the mill, and he was good.
"Back then every town had a mill team, and the mill would give you a job to play ball," said Joe.
In the days before television, malls, and computers, everyone went to the town baseball games to cheer on the hometown favorites. Joe played second base for Juliette, Forsyth, and Silver Town in Thomaston. He moved up to playing semi-pro and playing pro in the Georgia-Alabama and Georgia State leagues. There were often 2,000, 3,000 or even 4,000 spectators at the games.
In 2005, Joe was one of the first players inducted into the Georgia Class D Minor League Baseball Hall of Fame in Moultrie. Altogether, Joe played in baseball leagues for 16 or 17 years, going to Kansas twice for league World Series. He held a record for triples.
Ezma went to Joe's home games, listened to games that were on the radio, and saved every clipping about him from the newspaper. She nursed him through a few baseball injuries , like an ankle sprained sliding, a hit in the head, and four teeth knocked out with a baseball.
The 1950's were another era for Joe and Ezma and Angela, their only child. Joe ran the Sinclair Service Station on the Forsyth square, where the parking lot of Monroe County Bank is now. Ezma ran a country store on Juliette Road. Later they opened a sporting goods store across from the Sinclair station, where a pawn shop is now. For years, she ran the sporting goods store, and he ran the Sinclair station across the street.
Joe served two terms as a Monroe County commissioner in the late 1950's and early 1960's. Ezma was known throughout the county for her tatting and quilting, some of which she sold at the sporting goods store.
Joe also drove a Monroe County school bus for 17 years. He washed all the buses for the school system at his station; so they asked him to start driving, too. When he retired in 1980, having rented the sporting goods store and sold the other building, he hung out with the coffee crowd at Lawson & Cromer Drug Store until he decided he might as well start working there and delivered medicine for several years.
At 96, Joe and Ezma are still enjoying life and enjoying it together. They celebrated their 78th wedding anniversary with family, including a barbecue lunch and their favorite chocolate layer cake. Their daughter and son-in-law, Angela and Ricky Harbuck, moved in with them four years ago so they are able to keep living where they are most comfortable. The two couples divided the house so they have their own space. The Chambers have one granddaughter, Dulcie Harbuck, who lives with her husband, John Whitaker, in Macon.
What is Joe and Ezma's secret to a marriage of 78 years?
"Don't get mad at the same time," said Joe.
"Hang in there," said Ezma. "When you get to 97, you'll know what I'm talking about."
"I don't ever remember them arguing," said Angela. That says a lot when you're talking about 78 years, and Joe is quick to remind you that they are starting on 79.
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