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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Charles
4"Coach" Chambers of Chicago, who passed away on February 11.
52019; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Charles Chambers was born in St. Louis, Missouri
7to his mother, Autry L. Chambers and his grandmother, Frankie
8P. Williams; he moved to his permanent hometown of Chicago when
9he was nine; as the oldest of nine children, he worked at a
10local grocery store and ran newspaper routes to help his mother
11with expenses; in 1964, he graduated from DuSable High School,
12where he played football and basketball; he continued his love
13for both sports at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa,
14where he received an athletic scholarship and was the only
15African American on the football team; in 1968, he graduated
16with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Charles Chambers returned to Chicago and accepted
18a position as a physical education teacher at Hearst
19Elementary; there, he began his coaching career with 7th and
208th grade boys basketball; in 1972, he became a varsity
21football coach and a freshman-sophomore basketball coach at
22Tilden High School; he later became a varsity football coach at
23Calumet High School, where he also coached the girls basketball

 

 

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1team at Lane Tech and won back-to-back city titles in 1985 and
21986; he received his first head coaching opportunity at
3Chicago Vocational High School in 1989, where he became the
4coach with the most state playoff wins and the second most
5overall wins in the school's history, revolutionizing Chicago
6Public League football; and
 
7    WHEREAS, After retiring from Chicago Vocational High
8School, Charles Chambers spent his days assisting the next
9generation of head coaches; most recently, he served as the
10assistant coach at Harlan Community Academy, where his son
11Cassius is the head coach; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Charles Chambers is survived by his life partner
13and friend, Corrina (Cocoa); his children, Taji, Chucky,
14Cassius, Chez, and Jeremiah; his grandchildren, Alaisha,
15Chucky Jr., Jalen, LaChez, Jyishon, Layden, Canaan, and Cassius
16"CJ"; his siblings, Ray, Valerie, Halycon, Ledell, the late
17Ardell, Demetric, Wanda, and Constance; and his many nieces,
18nephews, cousins, and friends, including the faculty, staff,
19and student body at Chicago Vocational High School; therefore,
20be it
 
21    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
22HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
23we mourn the passing of Charles "Coach" Chambers and extend our

 

 

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1sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew
2and loved him; and be it further
 
3    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
4presented to the family of Charles Chambers as an expression of
5our deepest sympathy.