Madelyn Chambers

1934 - 2025

Madelyn Gibson Chambers of Atlanta, Ga., passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. She was 91.
Madelyn was born in Murphy, N.C., on Aug. 11, 1934, to the late Newton Gibson and Edith Anderson Gibson. She was the sixth eldest of eight children, one of the five "Gibson Girls."
Madelyn was raised on Dickey Road and graduated from Murphy High School in 1952. She moved to Atlanta, Ga., with her sister, Kathleen "Katbird" McGuire, to pursue a career as a switchboard operator with Southern Bell Telephone Company. Madelyn was very proud of her work at Southern Bell, where she advanced to a supervisory position.
While living on Myrtle Street in Atlanta, Madelyn met a jovial musician at a house party who told her, "I'm looking for me a wife." The rest is history. Madelyn married Curtis Melvin Chambers in Atlanta, Ga., in April 1957, and welcomed their first son, Jeff, later that year. Their sons, Greg and Ron, were born in 1960 and 1968, respectively.
Madelyn became a grandmother in 1992 and spent the following three decades adoring (and shopping for) her five grandchildren – Sarah, Katie, Kellen, Paxson and Caraline.
Madelyn's iconic style ensured she was noticed in every room she entered. She rarely walked through her favorite restaurant, Pappadeaux, without turning a few heads, well into her 80s. She made friends at all of her favorite stores, enjoyed rooting for the Georgia Bulldogs and Atlanta Braves, and loved gardening and cooking traditional Southern meals.
In addition to her parents, Madelyn was preceded in death by her husband, Curtis Chambers; sons, Greg Chambers and Ron Chambers; two sisters, Christine Stovall and Geraldine Lominac; and three brothers, Herbert Gibson, John Gibson and Clinton Gibson.
She is survived by her son, Jeff Chambers and wife Shari of Acworth, Ga.; daughters-in-law, Nancy Richardson and husband Robert of Palmetto, Ga., and Melissa Carlson and husband Brian of Auburn, Ala.; five grandchildren Sarah Rose of New York, N.Y., Kathryn Bohannon and husband Nathan of Buford, Ga., Kellen Chambers and wife Tina of Smyrna, Ga., Paxson Chambers and wife Julia of Saint Augustine, Fla., and Caraline Carlson of Auburn, Ala.; two great-granddaughters, Audrey Bohannon and Margot Bohannon; and two sisters, Kathleen McGuire of Blairsville, Ga., and Jane Stiles of Hiwassee Dam, N.C.; and sister-in-law, Helen Gibson of Brasstown, N.C.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, at Shady Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. Gerald Derreberry officiating. Music was provided by Jordan Patton and Suzanne West. Interment was in the church cemetery. Pallbearers were Nathan Bohannon, Kellen Chambers, Paxson Chambers, Kurt Stiles, Tim Lominac, David Gibson, Herbert Gibson and Robert Gibson.
The family received friends from noon-1:45 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, at Shady Grove Baptist Church prior to the services.
The family requests memorials be made in memory of Madelyn Gibson Chambers to Shady Grove Baptist Church, 198 Shady Grove Road, Murphy, NC 28906.
Ivie Funeral Home, Murphy, was in charge of all arrangements.
An online guest register is available at iviefuneralhome.com.