A True Warrior for our Town is Gone

It is with deep sadness to announce that Mrs. Flora Chambliss passed away this evening. What a lady and a patriot of Cairo. This town will miss her for she touched many hearts. God bless the Chambliss family. Our prayers go out to you in this time of mourning.

You are right. Thanks for sharing that horrible news.

I’m so sorry for their loss. I hadn't heard. Knew she was sick but didn't realize just how sick she was. This town is better for having her live here all these years. She was someone to look up to & aspire to raise your children has she did. You never heard her children getting into trouble because of her high standard she set for them. If only Cairo had more like her. Yes she was a lady to the very end! Patriot & champignon for Cairo & CURRE.

Thanks concerned for posting.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Chambliss family.

They, and Cairo, have lost a beacon of light.

Missing Cairo wrote:

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Chambliss family.
They, and Cairo, have lost a beacon of light.

Yes, Cairo has indeed lost a beacon of light...You'r right, we never heard about any of her children getting into any trouble..Her husband was my family doctors..they are such a great family and will be truly missed..
To the Chambliss: be strong in the lord and in the power of his might and bond together even more..

She was a very classy lady. I went to school with some of her children. I then had the opportunity to visit with her often when she served on the Board of Directors for the mental health center and I was employed there. When I think of her, the words that come to mind are intelligence and integrity. She shared many words of wisdom on those visits. My condolences to her family.

The funeral arrangements are visitation friday night at Barkett and the funeral is at St. Patricks on saturday morning at 10am. She will be buried at Greenlawn Cemetary in Villa Ridge,Il.

Flora Chambliss
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
CAIRO, Ill.-- Flora M. Chambliss, 83, of Cairo died Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, at Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at St. Patrick's Catholic Church. The rosary will be recited at 7:30.

Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the church, with the Revs. Jerome Fortenberry and John Agbasiera officiating. Burial will be in Green Lawn Memorial Gardens at Villa Ridge, Ill.

Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo is in charge of arrangements.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thesouthern/...

Go to this site for a picture of Mrs. Chambliss & to sign the Guest Book.

CAIRO - Flora M. Chambliss, 83, passed away Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, fortified with the sacraments of the Holy Mother Church, in Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

She was born March 4, 1926, in Rich Square, N.C., the daughter of the late Lazarus Pope Tann and Ada Reba Tann.

She graduated from Howard University with a bachelor's degree in pharmacy. She worked as a pharmacist in North Carolina before moving to St. Louis, where she took the Missouri Board and scored 100 percent but was given 99 percent. She worked in the pharmacy at DuPaul Hospital until she met and married Dr. Homer H. Chambliss.

She was a member of St. Patrick Church in Cairo. She was active in the life of the church and served as a member of Altar Guild.

She was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, serving as basileus of the local chapter for many years. She was always very active in her community as she served on the Cap Board that was the forerunner for Shawnee Development. She was on the founding boards of Pulaski-Alexander Mental Health Association (now Delta Center) as well as Alexander County Senior Citizens. She later served on Egyptian Area Agency on Aging. She was secretary of Alexander County Neighborhood Advisory Board from 1965 to 1970. She received a Governor's Citation in March of 1971 for "distinguished service to the youth of Illinois and exceptional accomplishment in developing better community life." During the civil unrest in Cairo in the '70s, she wanted to do something to provide all children in Cairo with a safe environment and so formed Committee for Recreation in Cairo. CRC provided a fun day in the park every Saturday, after school arts and crafts, skating parties on cordoned-off streets and dances for the teenagers. Mrs. Chambliss was the first to hire the Soul Phonics for the dances. CRC chaperoned the children to out-of-town basketball games and made sure they behaved and were respectful as they represented Cairo. In the 1980s, she served on Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission. She recently served on Citizen Advisory Board for Cairo Public School District. She also formed Concerned Citizens for the Recovery of Cairo. Still, with her sights set on seeing a better community, CCRC took on clean-up projects for Cairo, purchasing much-needed fire department equipment, as well as many other community service projects.

Mrs. Chambliss worked privately for five years trying to bring about some relief to the people of Cairo with the high utility bills, until she was instrumental in forming Committee for Utility Rate Reduction and Enforcement. This committee was successful in getting the Illinois Attorney General's office to investigate the local utility company.

Mrs. Chambliss worked tirelessly behind the scene on many projects and never sought the accolades received; namely when the Civil Rights Movement brought about integration, she was instrumental in forcing St. Mary Hospital to allow African-American mothers to stay on the maternity floor and not be separated from their babies.

In addition to being involved in her community, she raised nine children, Alan (Kelly) Chambliss of Carbondale; Dr. Michael Chambliss of Fresno, Calif., Dr. Karen Chambliss of Shelbyville, Del., Kathryn Chambliss of Carbondale, Dr. Patricia Chambliss of Maryland, Pamela Chambliss of Cape Girardeau, Michele Pierce of San Francisco, Anthony Chambliss of Cairo and David (Jennifer) Chambliss of Pittsburgh.

She is survived by her nine children; five grandchildren, Danielle Desbordes, Michael David Chambliss, Logan Pierce, Natalie Pierce and Katlyn Chambliss; sister-in-law, Geraldine Trammel of Chicago; her only living sibling, Genora Bishop of Durham, N.C; and a host of nieces, nephews, friends and other relatives.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by two brothers and five sisters, Louis Tann, L.P. Tann, Thelma Taylor, Medessa Moore, Mamie Wright, Maxine Riley and Dorothy Tann.

A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Patrick Catholic Church in Cairo, with John Agbassiere and Father Jerome Fortenberry officiating. Interment will be in Green Lawn Memorial Gardens at Villa Ridge. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the church, with the holy rosary recited at 7:30 p.m.

At the request of the family, expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to CCRC, P.O. Box 610, Cairo, IL 62914.

Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo is in charge of arrangements.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thesouthern/...

Guest Book & picture at this site.

CAIRO - Flora M. Chambliss, 83, passed away Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, fortified with the sacraments of the Holy Mother Church, in Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

She was born March 4, 1926, in Rich Square, N.C., the daughter of the late Lazarus Pope Tann and Ada Reba Tann.

She graduated from Howard University with a bachelor's degree in pharmacy. She worked as a pharmacist in North Carolina before moving to St. Louis, where she took the Missouri Board and scored 100 percent but was given 99 percent. She worked in the pharmacy at DuPaul Hospital until she met and married Dr. Homer H. Chambliss.

She was a member of St. Patrick Church in Cairo. She was active in the life of the church and served as a member of Altar Guild.

She was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, serving as basileus of the local chapter for many years. She was always very active in her community as she served on the Cap Board that was the forerunner for Shawnee Development. She was on the founding boards of Pulaski-Alexander Mental Health Association (now Delta Center) as well as Alexander County Senior Citizens. She later served on Egyptian Area Agency on Aging. She was secretary of Alexander County Neighborhood Advisory Board from 1965 to 1970. She received a Governor's Citation in March of 1971 for "distinguished service to the youth of Illinois and exceptional accomplishment in developing better community life." During the civil unrest in Cairo in the '70s, she wanted to do something to provide all children in Cairo with a safe environment and so formed Committee for Recreation in Cairo. CRC provided a fun day in the park every Saturday, after school arts and crafts, skating parties on cordoned-off streets and dances for the teenagers. Mrs. Chambliss was the first to hire the Soul Phonics for the dances. CRC chaperoned the children to out-of-town basketball games and made sure they behaved and were respectful as they represented Cairo. In the 1980s, she served on Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission. She recently served on Citizen Advisory Board for Cairo Public School District. She also formed Concerned Citizens for the Recovery of Cairo. Still, with her sights set on seeing a better community, CCRC took on clean-up projects for Cairo, purchasing much-needed fire department equipment, as well as many other community service projects.

Mrs. Chambliss worked privately for five years trying to bring about some relief to the people of Cairo with the high utility bills, until she was instrumental in forming Committee for Utility Rate Reduction and Enforcement. This committee was successful in getting the Illinois Attorney General's office to investigate the local utility company.

Mrs. Chambliss worked tirelessly behind the scene on many projects and never sought the accolades received; namely when the Civil Rights Movement brought about integration, she was instrumental in forcing St. Mary Hospital to allow African-American mothers to stay on the maternity floor and not be separated from their babies.

In addition to being involved in her community, she raised nine children, Alan (Kelly) Chambliss of Carbondale; Dr. Michael Chambliss of Fresno, Calif., Dr. Karen Chambliss of Shelbyville, Del., Kathryn Chambliss of Carbondale, Dr. Patricia Chambliss of Maryland, Pamela Chambliss of Cape Girardeau, Michele Pierce of San Francisco, Anthony Chambliss of Cairo and David (Jennifer) Chambliss of Pittsburgh.

to an active participant in the affairs of her adopted City.

Our respect wrote:

to an active participant in the affairs of her adopted City.

How about some deeds and not just hollow words from all of you?

Remember when kennedy died and the cry in washington was "pass the health care bill for kennedy".

Since changing the CPU situation was so very, very dear to Flora, where is your cry "change CPU for Flora"?

Don't think she would be/is too impressed with your hollow praises.

Wrong guest. I have sat beside Mrs. Chambliss for years on CCRC, We cleaned the city, had forums to inform the people of this town, bought school supplies for the kids, helped get a playground in St. Mary's park. I could go on, but don't recall all the things our group did for our town. And would you believe we did this with just a handful of people each meeting. Just think what this town could accomplish if we had more who were interested. If we don't come together soon, I am afraid Cairo will crumble like the downtown is.

concerned wrote:

Wrong guest. I have sat beside Mrs. Chambliss for years on CCRC, We cleaned the city, had forums to inform the people of this town, bought school supplies for the kids, helped get a playground in St. Mary's park. I could go on, but don't recall all the things our group did for our town. And would you believe we did this with just a handful of people each meeting. Just think what this town could accomplish if we had more who were interested. If we don't come together soon, I am afraid Cairo will crumble like the downtown is.

concerned -

did you even read what I said? I said:

"How about some deeds and not just hollow words from all of you?

Don't think she would be/is too impressed with your hollow praises."

And you tell me I am wrong? Well, didn't know Mrs. Chambliss, but if all she wanted was "hollow praises" and not "actions", then ..........

After you tell me I am wrong about Mrs. Chambliss, you state:

"Just think what this town could accomplish if we had more who were interested. If we don't come together soon,"

Concerned, you are absolutely right! I will see you and the Loxleys at the CURRE meeting on the 16th, won't I? It will give you a chance to demonstrate those "cooperation" skills of yours and your commitment to bringing the people of Cairo together to accomplish great things and save the city.

No, you won't see me there. Its time for someone else to take the lead. Godd luck, you will need it.

concerned wrote:

No, you won't see me there. Its time for someone else to take the lead. Godd luck, you will need it.

What an attitude? May be what is wrong with Cairo, you think?

Didn't YOU say this in a previous post?

"Just think what this town could accomplish if we had more who were interested. If we don't come together soon, I am afraid Cairo will crumble like the downtown is."

Noone suggested YOU take the lead. It was just an acknowledgment of your interest in "coming together".

Oh well, guess you are really not that interested in turning your own words into action or in saving your town:

"Just think what this town could accomplish if we had more who were interested. If we don't come together soon, I am afraid Cairo will crumble like the downtown is."

dont pay no mind to the court house hore. She got people who can dissapear you but I hears she busy now trying get that sons arrest dissapeared.

who knows wrote:

dont pay no mind to the court house hore. She got people who can dissapear you but I hears she busy now trying get that sons arrest dissapeared.

If it's what's inside that counts, there must be a minus in your column.