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Robert D “Bob” Chamberlain

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Robert D “Bob” Chamberlain

Birth
Orangeville, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, USA
Death
9 Jun 2018 (aged 93–94)
Orangeville, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, USA
Burial
Orangeville, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, USA Add to Map
Plot
D043-B1
Memorial ID
View Source
Published June 10, 2018 - Press Enterprise

Robert D. (Bob) Chamberlain Sr., 94, of Orangeville and Benton, passed away on June 9, 2018, with family nearby. He lived his entire life as a Pennsylvania resident.

A descendant of Henry Chamberlin, the blacksmith, from Norfolk County, England, Bob, the elder son of Ruth Bixler Chamberlain and Ira Rankin Chamberlain, was born in Columbia County, and resided there his entire life. He attended and was a graduate of the Orangeville Vocational High School before serving in the Army stationed the Philippines in World War II.

Much like the words of his favorite poet, Robert Frost, Bob followed many paths on his life’s journey. He worked at the Chamberlain family farm and experienced several other endeavors eventually raising strawberries. But Bob is best known as the mailman. For 25 years, Bob delivered mail to the families surrounding Orangeville driving tank-like old Cadillac cars, which could maneuver in any kind of weather. For many folks, he was the one contact they had with the outside world. As a confirmed reader, Bob had some knowledge about most everything. So much so that his young grandkids came to believe that “the mailman knows everything”.

Bob met his first wife, Teresa Chiki Chamberlain, at a roller skating rink in Berwick. They were married on May 4, 1946, and raised three boys. As a team, they served as the Junior Sponsors of the Rural Letter Carriers Association for many years. Through this work, Bob and Terry developed a love of travel, venturing by camper across the U.S. and later visiting many places worldwide.

After Terry’s death in 1984, Bob re-acquainted with Elizabeth Wiggins, a high school friend, at a class reunion. They were married in 1986, and lived most of their married life in Orangeville and Benton, sharing their retirement years together with travel, gardening and Bob mowing grass on a Wheel Horse.

Bob is survived by three devoted sons: Robert, married to Sally, David, married to Tomasina, and Mark, married to Deb. He is also survived by five grandchildren: Brant, Stephen, married to Elizabeth; James, Laura and Carrie; and two great-grandchildren: Finley and Sullivan. He is also survived by step-children: Dottie Winther, married to Peter, Robert Wiggins, married to MaryAnn; and their children and grandchildren. Also surviving is Bob’s brother, Richard Chamberlain, and his wife, Shirley.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, June 12, 2018, at 2 p.m. at the McMichael Funeral Home, Inc., 4394 Red Rock Road, (State Route 487), Benton. A viewing will be held Tuesday from 1 p.m. until the time of the service at McMichael’s. Burial will be in the Laurel Hill Cemetery, Orangeville.

Memorial contributions may be made in Bob’s memory to the Orangeville Fire Company, P.O. Box 177, Orangeville, PA 17859. A memorial service is also being planned.


Published June 10, 2018 - Press Enterprise

Robert D. (Bob) Chamberlain Sr., 94, of Orangeville and Benton, passed away on June 9, 2018, with family nearby. He lived his entire life as a Pennsylvania resident.

A descendant of Henry Chamberlin, the blacksmith, from Norfolk County, England, Bob, the elder son of Ruth Bixler Chamberlain and Ira Rankin Chamberlain, was born in Columbia County, and resided there his entire life. He attended and was a graduate of the Orangeville Vocational High School before serving in the Army stationed the Philippines in World War II.

Much like the words of his favorite poet, Robert Frost, Bob followed many paths on his life’s journey. He worked at the Chamberlain family farm and experienced several other endeavors eventually raising strawberries. But Bob is best known as the mailman. For 25 years, Bob delivered mail to the families surrounding Orangeville driving tank-like old Cadillac cars, which could maneuver in any kind of weather. For many folks, he was the one contact they had with the outside world. As a confirmed reader, Bob had some knowledge about most everything. So much so that his young grandkids came to believe that “the mailman knows everything”.

Bob met his first wife, Teresa Chiki Chamberlain, at a roller skating rink in Berwick. They were married on May 4, 1946, and raised three boys. As a team, they served as the Junior Sponsors of the Rural Letter Carriers Association for many years. Through this work, Bob and Terry developed a love of travel, venturing by camper across the U.S. and later visiting many places worldwide.

After Terry’s death in 1984, Bob re-acquainted with Elizabeth Wiggins, a high school friend, at a class reunion. They were married in 1986, and lived most of their married life in Orangeville and Benton, sharing their retirement years together with travel, gardening and Bob mowing grass on a Wheel Horse.

Bob is survived by three devoted sons: Robert, married to Sally, David, married to Tomasina, and Mark, married to Deb. He is also survived by five grandchildren: Brant, Stephen, married to Elizabeth; James, Laura and Carrie; and two great-grandchildren: Finley and Sullivan. He is also survived by step-children: Dottie Winther, married to Peter, Robert Wiggins, married to MaryAnn; and their children and grandchildren. Also surviving is Bob’s brother, Richard Chamberlain, and his wife, Shirley.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, June 12, 2018, at 2 p.m. at the McMichael Funeral Home, Inc., 4394 Red Rock Road, (State Route 487), Benton. A viewing will be held Tuesday from 1 p.m. until the time of the service at McMichael’s. Burial will be in the Laurel Hill Cemetery, Orangeville.

Memorial contributions may be made in Bob’s memory to the Orangeville Fire Company, P.O. Box 177, Orangeville, PA 17859. A memorial service is also being planned.




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  • Maintained by: Barb
  • Originally Created by: ElaineR
  • Added: Jun 10, 2018
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/190475240/robert_d-chamberlain: accessed ), memorial page for Robert D “Bob” Chamberlain (1924–9 Jun 2018), Find a Grave Memorial ID 190475240, citing Laurel Hill Cemetery, Orangeville, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, USA; Maintained by Barb (contributor 47923800).