BY ANITA STIEFEL
EDITOR@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

AUBURN — Rev. Chette L. Williams of Dadeville, chaplain of Auburn University’s football team, died in a marine-related incident at Lake Martin on Sunday afternoon.
According to a press release from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), at approximately 5:45 p.m. on Dec. 15, 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.
Williams was recovered at approximately 7:19 p.m. near the same location where he entered the water and was pronounced deceased. His body was sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences (ADFS) for analysis. Nothing further is available as Troopers with ALEA’s Marine Patrol Division continue to investigate.
Known affectionately as Brother Chette, Williams just completed his 26th season as AU’s football team chaplain, a position he has held since 1999, according to the Auburn Tigers website. Williams was a linebacker at Auburn from 1982-84. He received a bachelor’s degree in adult education in 1985 and a Master of Divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1993.