Chastain earned respect as a community leader
Elizabeth (Lib) Chastain made a lifetime out of doing the unexpected. And that’s precisely what made her impact on this community so immense.
She joined the Army in 1942 during the middle of World War II. It was a time when women were expected to do many things, but contributing to the military wasn’t one of them.
That might have served as a deterrent for some, but not Lib Chastain. She became the first woman in Warren County history to join WACs.
Once in the military, Chastain was determined to excel. Instead of serving a few years and returning to civilian life, she retired as an Army major after 21 years of service. That’s something only a select few women of that time could boast.
Back on the home front in Warren County, Chastain wasn’t afraid to speak out for what she believed. This was during a time when women were hardly encouraged to enter the political arena.
Nonetheless, even faced with this obstacle, she mustered the courage to run for a seat on the Warren County Commission. The community showed its admiration for Chastain by electing her to office in 1968, making her the first woman to bridge that gender gap.
Once on the county commission, Chastain was hardly a passive member. She pushed to make this community a better place to live and didn’t let the fact she was a woman stand in the way.
Whether she was spanning the globe and serving her country in Germany of Austria, or working as a local golf pro or sports writer, Chastain was determined to make a difference. She was a natural leader, one who doesn’t mind shaping the direction of a community.
This, too, didn’t go unnoticed. Chastain was bestowed a number of local honors including the Bell Ringer Award from Cheer Mental Health, and the Woman of the Year from the Business and Professional Women’s organization. She has a wing of the health department named in her honor.
These are all things which convey the great influence of Lib Chastain. No matter the obstacle, no matter the challenge, she continually showered this community — and this great nation — with years of dedicated service.