Lawrence R Chambly

Funeral services for Lawrence Chambly, 79, of Winnsboro, will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, at Beaty Funeral Home, with Bro. Ronny Spence officiating.

Interment will follow in Lee Cemetery in Winnsboro.

The family will receive visitors Wednesday, Feb. 14, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Lawrence Chambly died Monday, Feb. 12, 2018, in Winnsboro.

He was born April 25, 1938, in Gary, IN, to the late Ray Marion and Myrtle Blossom Dill Chambly.

The Chambly family moved to California when Lawrence was young, where after losing his father in WWII, he helped support his family at the age of nine, working his paper route.

He finished his public education and then received a degree in business from University of California in Los Angeles.

A proud US Army veteran, it was while stationed at Fort Hood that he met the love of his life, Betty Ruth Foster. She preceded him in death.

After moving to Winnsboro from Garland, Mr. Chambly founded USA Harness in 1991, providing numerous jobs for the North East Texas economy to this day.

When he died he was still serving as President and CEO of USA Harness.

He was of the Methodist faith, a member of the Masonic Lodge, and was part of the founding of the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers.

His family knew him as the “quiet philanthropist,” providing contributions to many local and national charities. He believed this to be an integral part of his success in business, being a responsible steward of his community and his employees.

He is survived by daughter Debra Rae Aldridge and husband, Michael, of Winnsboro; ; sons, Lonnie Eugene Chambly and Tony Dean Chambly all of Winnsboro; sisters, Sandy Estes of Ocola, FL, and sister Linda Matthesan of Costa Mesa, CA; 10 grandchildren and 14 great- grandchildren.

He was also preceded in death by son Larry Chambly and four sisters.