Willa Maree Chambers

Willa Maree Chambers, 85, of Columbus, died peacefully at her home in Westerwood on February 25, 2023. She was preceded in death by her parents, William John and Esther Mae (Wilson) Chambers, her sister Linda Lee Thompson, and her wife of 54 years, Janet Ellen Lotz. Willa was born in West Jefferson, Ohio on July 8, 1937, and lived most of her life in the Central Ohio area. She earned her B.S. in Secondary Education at Otterbein University, and her M.A. in Education at The Ohio State University. During her career, she taught health and physical education in the Cleveland Public Schools, at Hiram College, and for the Department of Defense Schools in Germany, but for most of her career she was a teacher in the Columbus City Schools, where she coached girls’ track. Willa had a wide range of interests. She loved to read and collected first edition books. She traveled throughout the United States and Europe. She enjoyed music and singing, and sang in various choirs, most recently with the choir of her church, New Albany United Methodist, and with the Village Singers at Westerwood. She enjoyed socializing and was an avid participant of Westerwood’s “tailgate parties” held during the OSU Football season. Over the years Willa and her wife raised and trained eight Afghans and a Borzoi to successfully compete in AKC and ASFA events, winning many titles including Top Lure Coursing Afghan 1995 (FCH El Zagel Silver Olive Sunrise LCM4). She was a good steward of the earth, and supported a number of wildlife preservation and conservation organizations. Willa loved watching birds and other “critters” at her rural home in Licking County. She also loved Monarch butterflies. She and Janet rescued, raised and then released more than 500 Monarchs back into the wild. Because of her love of nature, Willa joined Westerwood’s Buildings and Grounds Committee, promoting and helping to establish a wildlife habitat for birds and butterflies for the Westerwood community. Willa is survived by nieces and nephews Kelly (Rowdy) Joseph, Tally (Kathy) Gallogly, Dennis (Susan) Gallogly, Gina (Jason Smigelski) Harmon, Alan (Jin) Lotz; grand-nieces and grand-nephews Ethan and Sydney Joseph, Ty (Susannah) Gallogly, Meghan (Josh) Brown, Aidan and Owen Gallogly, Aidan and Wayne Harmon, Keira and Talia Lotz; one great-great grandniece and grandnephew; brother-in-law Steven Lotz; dear friend of 67 years, Ann W. James; and her beloved dog, Carli. A gift in Willa’s memory can be made to wildlife preservation or earth-care organizations such as the Ohio Wildlife Center (www.animalcareunlimited.com), Monarch Watch (www.monarchwatch.org), Nature Conservancy (www.nature.org), Marine Mammal Stranding Center (www.mmsc.org), or National Audubon Society (www.audubon.org). Arrangements entrusted to SCHOEDINGER DUBLIN where a memorial service will take place on Saturday, March 4, 2023 at 1pm, followed by a visitation from 2-4pm.