Don Chamblee

Donnie Ray “Don” Chamblee, 85, was called to his Heavenly Home on January 24, 2021, following a brief illness.

Born to William Thomas and Ada Lee Chamblee, Don was reared in Louisville, Mississippi, where he graduated from Bond High School.  He served his country in the U.S. Air Force as a radar technician and was stationed at Chennault Air Force Base in Lake Charles. It was there that he met and married his beloved wife, Nell Arceneaux Chamblee in 1958. 

Don worked for Kaough and Jones Electric Company for forty-two years, retiring in 2000 as superintendent. 

He received his Private Pilot’s license in the early 1970s and “caught the bug” that launched his passion and joy for flying. After achieving his Commercial and Instrumentation ratings, he went on to become a highly sought-after Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) and has taught hundreds of friends to fly. Each student has a unique story including those who are now piloting international flights with major airline carriers.  His ‘flying family’ could write a book on the many adventures and countless hours spent with Don behind the cockpit. He was truly the best CFI around, always putting safety first, encouraging, guiding, educating, directing and compassionately sharing his vast knowledge of what it took to be an expert pilot.

Don’s greatest gift of happiness was his family, the center of his world.  He always enjoyed spending quality time with them, especially his grandchildren and great granddaughter who was the most precious to him.  He was able to accomplish anything he set his mind to. He enjoyed working in his yard, tractor work, or cutting trees and clearing the land around their home.  Don attended Our Lady of LaSalette Catholic Church.

Those left to cherish his memory are his beloved wife of sixty-three years, Nell Arceneaux Chamblee; his daughter, Annette Belcher and husband Steve; three grandchildren, Jillyan Bevlaqua (and partner Chris Vinn) of Lake Charles, Treville Belcher and Joseph Belcher, both of New Orleans; one great-granddaughter, Avery Bruce; two sisters, Anne Wrenn of Grenada, Mississippi, and Jane Estes of Louisville, Mississippi; and one niece and four nephews.

The family would like to express their grateful appreciation for the compassionate care given to their beloved husband and father to Acadian Ambulance, WCCH ER, the exceptional doctors, nurses and dedicated staff of LCMH, and Heart of Hospice.  In addition, our heartfelt gratitude to his dear friends Tim LaFleur, Dalton Langford, and Billy Waters for the gift of their time and companionship.

Memorial donations may be made to Notre Dame Seminary, New Orleans, LA or to the Diocese of Lake Charles, Lake Charles, LA.

Cremation was entrusted to Johnson Funeral Home. A funeral mass was officiated by Fr. Nathan Long at St. Margaret’s Catholic Church for immediate family.