Joe Carroll Chambers, M.D., M.P.H, 87, of Charleston, S.C., husband of Bettye Anne Terry Chambers, entered into eternal rest Saturday, September 28, 2019. His funeral service will be held Thursday, October 3, in First (Scots) Presbyterian Church at 3 p.m. Following the service, a reception will be held at The Governor Thomas Bennett House, 69 Barre Street, Charleston, S.C. 29401. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, October 2, from 5 to 7 p.m. in J. Henry Stuhr Inc., Downtown Chapel, 232 Calhoun Street, Charleston, S.C. 29401.
Dr. Chambers was born August 12, 1932 in Bristol, Va., son of Joseph L. Chambers and Anna Fletcher Chambers. He received his education in the public schools of Elizabethton, Tenn., was a graduate of East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tenn., received his medical degree in 1956 from The University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Memphis, Tenn., and completed his Masters in Public Health from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C., in 1962. He served his internship at Mid-State Hospital in Nashville, Tenn. He was certified by the Board of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.
Dr. Chambers began his professional career as a Health Officer, Tennessee Health Department, Washington County from 1956 to 1958; Heart Disease Control Officer for the United States Public Health Service assigned to the state of Alabama from 1958 to 1960; Deputy Health Officer and Health Officer in Jefferson County, Birmingham, Ala., from 1960 to 1968; Coordinator, Regional Medical Program at the Medical University of South Carolina in 1968; Executive Director, Appalachian Regional Health Center, Johnson City, TN from 1969 to 1971; District Health Director, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, serving three districts from 1971 to 1996, the last 20 years as District Health Director, Trident District; and Community Health Consultant for Roper St. Francis Healthcare from 1997 to 2013. He was appointed as Associate Clinical Professor, Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Biometry and Epidemiology and Department of Family Medicine and Adjunct Professor of Administration, University of South Carolina, School of Public Health.
He held leadership offices in the following organizations: Past President of American Lung Association of South Carolina; Past President of South Carolina Public Health Association; Past President of Southern Health Association; Founding President of Mu Chapter, Delta Omega Honorary Public Health Society at the South Carolina School of Public Health; and Founding Co-chairperson of Community Health Partners.
Dr. Chambers was honored for his service to public health with the following awards: James Haine Medal for outstanding service to public health from the South Carolina Public Health Association; Robert Ball Award for outstanding service to the control of AIDS and STD’s from the STD Program at SC DHEC; James Martin Medal for outstanding volunteer service to the American Lung Association of SC; Individual Award of Excellence for service to the community; and named the Dr. J. Carroll Chambers Award from the Community Health Partners Leadership Council.
He is survived by his wife, Bettye Anne Chambers of Charleston, S.C.; a daughter, Cynthia Ann West (John) of Knoxville, Tenn.; and two grandsons, Zachary Edwards (Brooke) of Knoxville, Tenn., and Jacob Carroll Edwards (Margo) of Nashville, Tenn.
He was preceded in death by his former wife, Ruth Gwen Aycock.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the American Lung Association, 44-A Markfield Drive, Charleston, SC 29407, http://www.lungsc.org , the Charleston Animal Society, 2455 Remount Road, Charleston, SC 29406, http://www.charlestonanimalsociety.org or to Amedisys Hospice of South Carolina, 1027 Physicians Drive, Suite 240, Charleston, SC 29414.