James Chamblee Meredith's Obituary
James Chamblee “Cham” Meredith, 84, loving husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend passed away peacefully on March 12, 2018. He was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 25, 1933. He was “born again” as a Christian and baptized at age 12. Cham loved to read God’s Word, had kind words, unconditionally loved and showed grace to others, enjoyed family times, loved to play the violin, and was faithful to the church. He leaves a legacy of love and grace and will be greatly missed.Cham graduated from Henry Grady High School in Atlanta, where he was the cadet commanding officer of the ROTC and played the violin in the orchestra. He majored in chemical engineering and graduated from Georgia Tech in 1955, and followed that in obtaining a master’s degree from Georgia Tech in Environmental Engineering.While a graduate student he joined the U.S. Army Reserve. He learned that he could serve in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and reported for USPHS duty in Cincinnati. This began his 30 year service in the USPHS working in the areas of water pollution and hazardous waste control. His most memorial experience was serving at the 1957 Atomic Tests in Nevada, which made him an “Atomic Veteran.” The USPHS staff followed the atomic clouds eastward and measured radioactive fallout after each shot. He experienced the direct force of the largest bomb ever exploded in the U.S. – three times the force of the 1945 explosions in Japan.He married Sylvia Anne Lacey in 1961 while stationed in Dallas, and took her to the University of North Carolina where he obtained a Master of Public Health degree and went on to serve on studies of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Their first child, John Lacey Meredith, was born in Baltimore, and their second child, Anne Sylvia Meredith Frey, was born at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. They moved to Atlanta, where their third child, Jane Carole Meredith Stein, was born.Cham and Sylvia raised their family in Atlanta. Cham played the violin in the local community orchestra and participated in church and community activities. At work, Cham rose to the rank of Captain (Colonel) in the USPHS stationed within the EPA.After retirement, Cham and Sylvia moved to Texas to live in Sylvia’s childhood home. They are members of First Baptist Church; where Cham played weekly in the Church Orchestra and Sylvia sang in the Choir. They performed in Carnegie Hall in New York City and at Lincoln Center in Washington, DC for the President of the United States.Cham and Sylvia lived an active life in retirement and loved visiting with family. As part of the “Atomic Veterans” group, they gathered with other Atomic Veterans for meetings throughout the country.Cham leaves behind his loving wife, Sylvia Lacey Meredith; son, John Lacey Meredith and wife, Shirley Shelton Meredith, daughter, Anne Meredith Frey and husband, Ernie Frey, daughter, Jane Meredith Stein and husband, Alex Stein, grandchildren, Ben Meredith, Morgan Frey, Mason Meredith, Meredith Frey, Sarah Stein, Samuel Stein, Madison Frey, and Sophia Stein.Visitation will be at Restland Funeral Home on Greenville Avenue on Thursday, March 15 from 6:00-8:30 p.m. A memorial service will be held on Friday, March 16 at 11:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church.In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to support the orchestra at First Baptist Dallas.
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