Lewis Ray Chalker, 45, Indian River, a widely known area educator was pronounced dead at 8:25 pm yesterday by W. A. Schneider, Cheboygan County coroner.
Mr. Chalker, vocational counselor at Petoskey School and member of the Inland Lakes Board of Education was believed to have been dead for 12 hours when his body was found near a sandpit off M-68 near I-75 in Tuscarora Township by police officer Roy Hickle.
Mr. Chalker was ill for the past several months. Death was attributed to self-inflicted carbon monoxide poisoning.
He joined the teaching staff at Petoskey last year and was instrumental in preparing reports that enabled the school district to secure funds from federal and state agencies for vocational projects.
Born at Empire, Feb 9, 1928, he was graduated with a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University. He earned his master's degree at the same school.
Prior to joining the Petoskey faculty, Mr. Chalker taught at Inland Lakes, Laingsburg, Chippewa Hills and Evart. He also filled the pulpit at the Indian River Methodist Church for a period of time.
Mr. Chalker was a resident of Indian River for the past 11 years having relocated from Howell. He was married in 1947 at Lake City.
He is survived by his wife, Norma J, a daughter, Janice of Waukegon, IL, and Kathleen, Lewis R Jr., and Steven, all at home. His parents Mr. and Mrs. Orin Ray Chalker, of Lake City, survive, as do four brothers, Henry of Alaska, Ronald, Gerald, and Gary all of Lake City, and one sister, Mrs. Eileen Eubank of Lake City.
At the request of Mr. Chalker, long before his death, his remains were taken today to the University of Michigan Medical Center for scientific research.
