Charles Carroll Chambers

When he lived in Acapulco, Mexico, in the late 1960’s, seven-year-old Charles Chambers was known as “The Littlest Matador.” Outfitted in a tiny black toreador ensemble, he swirled a red cape before young bulls at the local corrida. During that time, Charles was also a mascot for famous wrestlers on the Lucha Libre circuit like El Santo and Mil Mascaras. Dressed like his heroes, they called him “El Rubio,” the blond one.

Born January 5, 1960, in Lufkin, Texas, Charles attended the University of Texas at Austin where he joined Phi Gamma Delta. He graduated with a degree in Business Administration.

A born explorer with a love of architecture and history, Charles moved to Los Angeles in 1988, to pursue a career as a location scout for film and television. Aided by his exceptional visual memory and skills as a photographer, he worked on television shows for NBC and ABC. He moved on to feature films where he acted as location manager for Academy Award-winning Production Designers like Polly Platt. His film credits include “Bottle Rocket,” “Diplomatic Immunity,” “Interceptor,” and “Evening Star.” On set, he worked with actors Jack Nicholson, Farrah Fawcett, Diane Keaton and Robert Duvall.

Then, in 1995, while on a film location in Texas, he met the love of his life, Kerri, and returned to Austin to pursue her. They married in 2004. Turning a page in his career, he found a way to combine his love of cartography with his passion for topography and learned the science and art of photogrammetry. His abilities in photogrammetry and aerial surveys lead him to the Department of Transportation where he worked on mapping the highways of Texas. It was Charles’s personal goal to drive on every road he mapped and stop at every historical marker he came upon.

A devoted dog lover, Charles and Kerri rescued 8 dogs abandoned in Hurricane Katrina and ran Shiba Inu rescue at their 3-acre property in Webberville where they enjoyed bird watching and kayaking on his beloved Colorado River.

Charles Carroll Chambers III died August 16th in an automobile accident. He is survived by his loving wife Kerri, and his stepson Brandon Rench, as well as his mother, Katharine King, his brother Hennen, and sisters Anne, Christy and Katharine.

In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in memory of Charles Chambers at Austin Pets Alive, http://www.austinpetsalive.org/tribute-donation/.

A Memorial Service for Charles will be held at 3:30 P.M., Friday, August 25, 2017, at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home.