Chambers, Royce Mitchell 'Scotty'

Royce Mitchell “Scotty” Chambers, 90, of Cedar Rapids, died Jan. 31, 2011, at St. Luke's Hospital. A memorial service will be held 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 7, at First Presbyterian Church in Marion, with the Rev. Elizabeth Hilkerbaumer officiating. Friends may call at the church before the service beginning at 11:30 a.m. or visit with the family after the service. Inurnment will be later this year at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Mount Pleasant.

Born June 24, 1920, in Mitchell, S.D., Royce was the son of the Rev. Jonathan Emery Mather Chambers and Eva Thiel Chambers. He grew up in dust bowl Kansas, where his father served several small town Methodist churches. He graduated from Almena, Kan., High School, where he was perpetually nicknamed “Scotty” because of his Scotch Irish heritage. He graduated in 1943 from Iowa Wesleyan College, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta; he was already on active duty in the wartime Army. He married his college sweetheart, Helen Van Brussel, on June 18, 1944, and soon left for England to serve in several Army hospital units, including the 13th, 115th, and 128th.

After World War II, Royce joined the sales department of Sheaffer Pen Co., but soon changed to agribusiness in Nebraska in the early 1950s. During his career, he served as sales/marketing manager and sales trainer for several national feed and seed companies. After retirement, he worked for Iowa Wesleyan College in alumni relations.

He enjoyed golf, hunting, fishing, and family genealogy. He was an avid reader; history and the opening of the American West were his favorites. He wrote three autobiographies covering his youth and military experiences, and he enjoyed writing doggerel verse.

He was an ordained elder, and a member of First Presbyterian in Marion.

Royce is survived by his daughter, Christine (Lee) Fredrickson, Cedar Rapids; his son, Dr. Jonathan (Christy) Chambers, Athens, Ga.; granddaughters, the Rev. Karin (Chris) Orwig, Peru, Ill., and Catherine (Michael) Farley, Athens, Ga.; three great-grandchildren, Abigail Orwig and Cael and Aidan Farley; nieces, nephews and friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen; his daughter, the Rev. Melinda Chambers; his parents; and his sister, Marilea Romkey.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Iowa Wesleyan College or American Cancer Society.

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