William "Jack" Chamblin

William “Jack” Chamblin, 86, died peacefully June 21, 2018, at his Hilltop Ranch near his hometown of Robinson. Jack was born October 27, 1931, one of three sons whose parents were the late Charles Donald and Bertha Mae Cox Chamblin of Robinson. When he was only two, Jack, along with his parents and brothers Don Jr. and Dick, moved to Albany, Texas, where their father was employed in the oilfield community. After five years, the family returned to Robinson, and Charles Donald became an executive for Bradford Supply Company. Jack leaves his wife of 37 years, Kathy, four children and their spouses, Kimberly & Jan Jamison, Kelly & Dan Burton, Rocky & Tammy Chamblin and Shawn & Scherrie Chamblin. Jack’s grandsons are Nick and Jon Jamison (sons of Kimberly); Joe, Robert and Carl Deurmier (sons of Kelly); Cody Chamblin (son of Rocky) and Zachary Chamblin (son of Shawn) His great-grandsons are Liam and Gideon Deurmier (sons of Joe). Jack excelled in academics and athletics at Lincoln Grade School in Robinson. As a high school senior at Robinson High, Jack starred in football, basketball and track. He was named to the all-state football team as a fullback. He received several collegiate scholarship offers but eventually accepted an appointment to West Point, the country’s No. 1-rated football team at the time. Two years later Jack transferred to the University of Illinois, where he majored in geology and helped the Illini tie Michigan State for the Big Ten championship his junior year as a center, guard and linebacker. As a senior, Jack was named the team’s most valuable player after playing an astonishing 508 minutes of a possible 540. In those days, players were required by rule to play both offense and defense. Labeled “Iron Man” by sportswriters, Jack earned second-team Big Ten honors and academic all-Big Ten honors. Following college, Jack served two years in the United States Air Force before reporting to work with The California Company, a division of Standard Oil of California, in New Orleans. After five years, he returned to Robinson to become assistant to the president (his father, Don) of Bradford Supply Company. Over the next several decades, he helped rescue Bradford from near bankruptcy and built it into a multi-million-dollar business with stores in five states. During a period of more than half a century, Jack became a leader in business development for Robinson. He co-founded and chaired a political action committee known as CRAW-PAC that helped bring a state prison, a community college, highway improvements and other benefits to Robinson and Crawford County. Perhaps most importantly, Jack regularly donated time and money to worthy causes. He established an annual academic-athletic scholarship at Robinson High School; contributed dollars and equipment for improvements to the school’s athletic fields; bought shoes for many years for needy elementary school students; helped fund the athletic and theater programs at Lincoln Trail Junior College; donated land and dollars to the Humane Society and for a separate spay and neuter center founded by his wife, Kathy; helped endow the James Jones Chair for Literacy with a contribution to Eastern Illinois University; contributed generously to the University of Illinois athletic and library funds; and provided funds and equipment to his beloved Quail Creek Country Club and Resort, once home to a PGA tour event. Many more of his humanitarian contributions were made anonymously. Jack served in various positions in local banks, including chairman of the board, director and chairman of the advisory board; president of the Chamber of Commerce; as a director of the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce; as vice chairman of the Illinois Oil and Gas Association; as a commissioner on the Illinois Gaming Board; and as chairman of the board and a director of the University of Illinois Athletic Association. He instituted the “I” Man Award, which goes annually to a person who has contributed significantly to the U of I athletic program. During his career, Jack received both the Distinguished Service and Distinguished Citizen awards from the Robinson Chamber of Commerce, and the Distinguished Citizen award on two occasions from the Robinson Elks Club. In 2007 Jack was given the lifetime achievement award from the Illinois Oil and Gas Association, and in 2012, the Chamber honored Bradford Supply as its Business of the Year in recognition of the company’s 50 years of community service. Jack served seven terms as president of Quail Creek Country Club and Resort. He built a beautiful ranch, which he named Hilltop Ranch, on which he bred cattle, Thoroughbred horses, and American Quarter Horses. He loved horse racing and even into his 80s, he was still trying to breed and race a Kentucky Derby winner. Though he was in the company of two U.S. presidents (Ronald Reagan and George H. Walker Bush), and was friends with several Illinois governors, numerous congressmen and heads of industry, Jack remained humble. “A man should be recognized for what he does, not necessarily for what he says or who he knows,” he once remarked. Jack was asked to provide his “Bucket List” for a book about his life (Illinois Iron Man), written by his cousin, Tony Chamblin. Family was always his first priority. His answer was the care of his wife and daughters and the transfer of Bradford to his sons to carry on his father’s legacy. Asked how he would like to be remembered, Jack said: “Not famous, but not forgotten for what I tried to do for the communities in which I lived.” A time of visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Friday, August 10th at the Goodwine Funeral Home in Robinson. A celebration of Jack’s life will be held the following evening (Saturday, August 11th) at the Hilltop Ranch, and all are welcome to attend (casual dress requested). Food and drink will start at 5:00 p.m. with eulogies starting at 6:15 p.m. Military services will be conducted at 7:00 p.m. by the combined units of the Robinson V.F.W. Post #4549, the Robinson American Legion Post #69, and the Flat Rock American Legion Post #132. The Robinson Elks Lodge #1188 will then perform a memorial service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the “W.J. and Kathy Chamblin Family Foundation”, (P.O. Box 246 Robinson, IL 62454). All proceeds will go to local charities.