Doyle Michael “Mike” Chambers, 72, of Indianapolis, passed away suddenly on April 11, 2026.

Born on December 17, 1953, in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Mike was the son of Doyle and Luella Chambers. His father was an agriculture college professor and his mother a homemaker. Both parents were originally from Louisiana, his mother a Catholic Cajun from south Louisiana and his father from a Baptist family in north Louisiana. The family moved to Baton Rouge when his father accepted a position at LSU, and it was there that Mike spent the majority of his formative years.

Mike attended Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, where he played basketball and was deeply involved in Boy Scout Troop 12. He achieved the rank of Eagle Scout and carried the values of Scouting with him throughout his life. He later served as Scoutmaster for a troop of blind boys in Louisiana and for Troop 276 in Indianapolis. Mike lived by one of the mottos of scouting founder Robert Baden-Powell: “Leave this world a better place than you found it.”

He earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Entomology from Louisiana State University in 1976 and 1978. While at LSU, he worked as a trainer for the LSU basketball team under legendary coach Dale Brown and also assisted with the football team. College basketball remained one of his greatest lifelong passions.

After graduation, Mike worked for the State of Louisiana as an entomologist, focusing on mosquito and rodent abatement. He went on to earn his Ph.D. in Entomology from Clemson University in 1988. He then joined Dow Chemical as an entomologist and relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, where he met his wife, Deborah. They married in 1990.

In 1994, Mike and his family moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, which became a beloved fourth home to him after Oklahoma, Louisiana and Tennessee.

Shortly after beginning his career at Dow, Mike faced a devastating cancer diagnosis with a poor prognosis. With the unwavering love and support of his wife, family, colleagues, and lifelong friends Carl and Diana Luikhart, he beat cancer against all odds and it never returned.

Mike enjoyed a long and varied 31-year career with Dow Chemical and its successor companies, holding roles that included field specialist, R&D leader, human resources manager, leadership development subject matter expert, implementation leader, and data management and information management strategy leader. He retired from Corteva Agriscience as a data and training coordinator.

Mike and Deborah were blessed with two children: Andrew (born 1993) and Mariella (born 1997). He was a devoted and loving father who cherished spending time with them. He enjoyed camping and outdoor adventures with Andrew through Boy Scouts and coached his Little League team at Castleview Baptist Church. With Mariella, he loved trips to the zoo and wrote many special stories just for her.

Mike had a deep love for his Cajun heritage. He enjoyed cooking authentic Cajun food and frequently made recipes from his mother’s cookbook, bringing the flavors of south Louisiana to his family and friends.

An avid traveler, Mike visited every U.S. state except Alaska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, as well as India, Japan, Mexico, and numerous countries throughout Europe, sometimes accompanied by his wife.

Mike was known for his strong positive outlook on life and for being a genuine joy to be around. His kindness, resilience, and dedication to helping others left a lasting impact on everyone who knew him.

He is survived by his wife, Deborah Chambers; his son, Andrew Chambers; his daughter, Mariella Chambers; his sisters, Linda Webster of Austin, Texas, and Dorothy LeBlanc of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and many dear friends and colleagues.

Visitation for Mike will be from 10a-12pm on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery Chapel (9001 Haverstick Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46240), with a Funeral Service immediately following at 12pm. Burial will take place following the mass at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in his name to the Boy Scouts of America, or for cancer research

In memory of Mike, please enjoy the recipe below that Mike always liked to make himself:

Lemon Lime Soda Apple Dumplings (Serves 8)

Ingredients:

2 large granny smith apples

1 12 ounce can of lemon lime soda

2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Directions:

1.) use a dutch oven large enough to accommodate all apples in one layer because they'll rise/expand while cooking.

2.) cut each apple into eight pieces. wrap each piece in one crescent roll.

3.) melt stick of butter in the bottom of the dutch oven and roll each piece in the melted butter before placing them in the bottom of the pan.

4.) mix cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle the mixture over all apple pieces (mixing the sugar rather than just dusting the tops better incorporates the cinnamon flavor). Carefully add the soda so as not to wash away sugar from the dumplings

5.) based on oven size, adjust the amound of charcoal briquettes on top and bottom and bake until dumplings turn golden brown (in conventional oven about 30 minutes at 350 degrees)