ELMORE COUNTY (Trussville Tribune) — Longtime Auburn University Team Chaplain Chette Williams has died in a drowning at Lake Martin on Sunday, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
A marine-related event occurred at approximately 5:45 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15, and has claimed the life of a Dadeville man, according to ALEA Lt. Jeremy Burkett.
“Chette L. Williams, 61, was attempting to leave his vessel, a 2005 Bennington 2575 RFS pontoon boat, when he fell into the water near a dock at Kowaliga’s Restaurant on Lake Martin just west of the Kowaliga Bridge in Elmore County,” Burkett said.
Williams was recovered at approximately 7:19 p.m. near the same location where he entered the water and was pronounced deceased. Williams’s body has been sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences (ADFS) for an autopsy to be performed.
CBS 42 News partner Trussville Tribune reports Williams was a beloved figure in the Auburn family. He had served the team as chaplain since 1999 when he was chosen for the position by former Tiger head coach and current U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville. Williams played linebacker for Auburn from 1982 until 1984.
In 2019, Williams tragically lost his son, Chette Williams, Jr., in an Atlanta shooting. The elder Williams leaned on his faith to persevere and the AU faithful rallied behind him.
According to the Alabama Baptist, Williams was the longest-standing chaplain at an NCAA Division I school.
Senator and former Auburn Football Coach Tommy Tuberville released the following statement on Williams' death:
Heartbroken to hear the news about Chette Williams. Brother Chette was a remarkable man who led hundreds of young people to the Lord through the years. He was the architect of the 2004 Hard Fighting soldiers theme that turned into a national movement. His leadership has been a steady part of Auburn athletics for more than two decades. But more than sports, Brother Chette helped athletes understand that their purpose was much greater than anything they could ever accomplish on the field.
I am thankful that we recently had the opportunity to catch up. Auburn wouldn’t be what it is today without him. My thoughts and prayers are with Brother Chette’s family, along with those impacted by his ministry through the years. He will be deeply missed, but his legacy will live on in the lives he touched.
Tommy Tuberville