Carl Loyd Chamberlain

Carl Loyd Chamberlain of Liberty City, Texas, passed away on January 31, 2023 after a two-year battle with complications arising from COVID-19. He was 89 years old and no doubt annoyed that he did not reach his oft-stated goal of living to be 103.

Loyd (also known to some as “Slim” and “Lefty”) was born in New Salem, Texas, on April 25, 1933, to George Carl Chamberlain and Myrtis Rosene Hand Chamberlain. He grew up with his brothers Dewey, Rex, and Jerry in New Salem and, later, the small community of Shake Rag, and he would often reminisce about good times spent exploring the woods and creeks with cousins and neighborhood friends. After graduating from Carlisle High School, he moved to Kilgore, where he met Loey Lou Carter while out dancing. The two got married a few months later and lived on Looney Street in Kilgore before eventually moving to Liberty City to raise their family. One of their children’s friends later characterized Loyd as being solid and quiet like a rock and Loey like a firecracker, and a more apt description of the two of them together may never be written.

After working at Kilgore Ceramics and Lone Star Steel, Loyd took a job at the Petrolite refinery in Kilgore. Loyd was a wizard with anything mechanical, a skill he put to good use in his many years at Petrolite where he worked until retiring at age 62 from his position as a maintenance supervisor. He never met a tool, fastener, or machine part that he didn’t save in case he needed it one day, a habit justified on the many occasions when he did, in fact, have the right part when it was needed. Please remember his children in your prayers as they sort through the many bins of other parts that sadly were never needed.

It is safe to say that those who met Loyd even briefly experienced his consistently kind, sweet, gentle nature. He was slow to anger, quick to smile and laugh, and treated everyone equally with kindness and respect. His kind demeanor served as a solid example of how even the gentlest and humblest of persons can have a great impact on the lives of those they encounter simply by caring for others in ways large and small.

Loey preceded Loyd in death in 2005. He is survived by his daughter, Amy Waits of Gladewater; sons, Ric Chamberlain of Liberty City and Clint Chamberlain and partner, James Fairchild, of Dallas; granddaughter, Whitney Hadley of Austin; brother, Jerry Chamberlain and wife, Von, of Longview; sister-in-law, Jolane Chamberlain of Conroe; many nieces and nephews; and his companion of the last several years, Eda Ray Gore of Sunnyvale, Texas.

Friends and family are invited to attend visiting hours on Sunday afternoon, February 5, between 2:00 and 4:00 pm at Rader Funeral Home, 401 N. Martin St., Kilgore, TX 75662.

Online condolences may be left at www.raderfuneralhome.com