Friends, former coaches remember Tim Chamness and that ever-present smile

By Jim Muir

During the high school sports season teams from Zeigler-Royalton and Christopher join together to form one of the longest running and most successful co-ops in the state.

On Friday and Saturday those two schools and communities will join together to mourn the loss of a young man that left an indelible mark on both communities and schools.

Tim Chamness, 28, died Wednesday, February 13, in a mining accident at Prairie Eagle South Mine, near Culter. Chamness was a 2002 graduate of Zeigler-Royalton High School where he was an outstanding student-athlete.

Tim Chamness

“He was just genuine, just a wonderful person,” said Randall Risley, long time Z-R sports supporter and statistician. “Tim had a wonderful sense of humor and was just a delight to be around. It’s just a very sad day for all of us who knew him, this is just a real tragedy.”

Chamness was killed after being pinned between the tail of a continuous mining machine he was operating and a coal rib, according to federal mining officials investigating the accident. Chamness was using a remote control device to operate the continuous miner at the time.

Risley illustrated and laughed about an incident that took place in a basketball game, an incident that he says illustrates Chamness’ sense of humor. Risley said Chamness was an outstanding athlete but had a ‘forgettable’ basketball game one night when he fouled out in less than a quarter of play while guarding the opposition’s best player.

“I made him a certificate that he had set a school record for fouling out in the shortest time span ever,” Risley recalled. “Tim played along with it and even had it framed and hung it on his wall. I have kidded him since and told him his record is still standing. He was just the type of person that you truly enjoyed being around.”

Former Christopher basketball and track coach Tom Wheeler recalled that he first met Chamness when he attended his “Little Wheels” basketball camp as a third grader.

“The thing I remember most that he was always up, always in a good mood and there was always excitement in his eyes,” said Wheeler.  “And then Tim ran track for me in high school and it was the same, he always showed up in a good mood, there was never any drama with him, he just came in every day excited about what we were going to do that day.”

During the past decade Wheeler said he has ran into Chamness several times and that ever-present smile was still very visible.

“Tim was the type of person you looked forward to seeing,” said Wheeler.  “He was always up, always positive and he always had a smile.  This is just very hard … he will really be missed.”

Longtime Christopher coach John Kretz coached Chamness in football – a sport where Christopher and Zeigler-Royalton have enjoyed a successful co-op for more than two decades. Kretz recalled moving Chamness up to the varsity level during his sophomore year to return kickoffs and punts.

“I remember when I told him I was moving him up he looked at me sort of surprised,” said Kretz. “And the very first kickoff that he returned he ran it back for a touchdown. And the very first thing he did when he came back to the sideline was come straight to me and say, ‘thanks for giving me a chance.’ I will always remember that.”

Kretz said Chamness was the type of person that ‘never had an enemy.’

“Tim was just well-liked by everybody and I mean everybody in both communities,” said Kretz. “He was very popular at Zeigler-Royalton High School but he was just as popular in Christopher – everybody liked Tim … he was just that type of person.”

Kretz said he has dealt with a “a flood of emotions” since learning of the mining accident that claimed Chamness’ life.

“I coached him and knew what type of a person he was, he comes from a great family and he was friends with my kids. I’ve known him since he was a little boy, we even have a video of him playing basketball with my son Joe when they were in daycare together,” said Kretz. “He was just a good, good person and this is a tremendous loss.”

Funeral services for Chamness will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, in Royalton Church of the Nazarene, 412 W. 3rd St., S. Royalton, with Pastor David Sorensen officiating. Burial will be in Miners Cemetery east of Royalton. Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. today and from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of Mr. Chamness are suggested to the Timothy Keith Chamness Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Herrin Security Bank, 204 S. Main St., Royalton, IL 62983.