Kenneth Chalker Sr.

Family-Placed Death Notice

CHALKER, Kenneth, Sr. Kenneth Lamar Chalker, Sr. passed away on September 10, 2009 after a courageous battle with cancer. Services will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 13, 2009 at Mayes Ward-Dobbins Chapel in Marietta with Pastor Robert Ledbetter officiating. Mr. Chalker was a prominent attorney who practiced law for over 40 years in Smyrna and Marietta. His uncle was L.C. Chalker, the former mayor of Kennesaw, and the namesake of Chalker Elementary. He was born on May 30, 1936 in Atlanta. He was a graduate of Northside High School and he graduated from East Carolina University with a BA degree where he met his wife, Peggy, of 51 years. He graduated from John Marshall Law School and passed the bar exam in 1966. He served for a short period as the Recorders Court Judge in Smyrna in the early 70s. He was active as a coach and booster for the Smyrna Athletic Association, served as President of the Smyrna Lions Club, and was active in the Smyrna Jaycees. He began his legal career as an Associate with Cochran, Camp, and Snipes in Smyrna. He soon opened his own firm and established a general law practice with an emphasis on residential real estate closings. During his career he probably closed over 25,000 real estate transactions. Perhaps his most interesting case involved Osborne High School in the early 80s. Osborne lost a game that would have placed them in the playoffs if they had won. Late in the game the officials applied an erroneous interpretation of a rule that cost Osborne the game. Mr. Chalker filed for an injunction and a Cobb County Superior Court judge agreed with his argument and ordered that the game be replayed from the point where the error occurred. The GSHA appealed to the Supreme Court of Georgia and the court ruled that they were not going to involve the courts in a high school football game. The case received quite a bit of statewide press. Mr. Chalker was a member of Marietta Country Club for over 40 years and was a faithful member of the "1:00 group." He was a man of the highest integrity whose word was his bond. He liked to say that, "there is no gray area - only right or wrong." He was preceded in death by his beloved grandmother Lottie Pruitt and his parents Irene and Andrew Chalker. He is survived by his wife of 51 years Peggy Bachelor Chalker; his son and law partner Kenneth L. Chalker, Jr. and his son Charles William Chalker; his two daughters-in-law Tammy Luther Chalker and Kimberly Morris Chalker; brother & sister-in-law, William & Jean Bachelor; five grandchildren, Kenneth L. "Chase" Chalker,III, Autumn Chalker, Kennedy Chalker, Madison Chalker, Kaitlyn Chalker; several nieces and nephews. Also surviving are his longtime legal assistants, Cindy Middleton and Jennifer Edwards. Visitation will be Saturday afternoon 2:00-5:00 p.m. at Mayes Ward-Dobbins Funeral Home & Crematory in Marietta. www.mayeswardddobbins.com