Wendell Eugene Chamberlain, 87, passed away Thursday (July 31, 2014) before the sun came up.
Born Sept. 9, 1926, in the town of Belfast, he was the son of Dorance L. Chamberlain and Ruby Grace Foster Chamberlain. At three months of age, Wendell moved from town to the farm of his grandfather, where he lived with his parents till he married Virginia M. Deuell on July 15, 1951, in Saratoga Springs.
Wendell was a graduate of Belfast Central School, Class of 1944; and Cornell University, Class of 1951, where he earned a bachelor's degree in animal science. Also, Wendell took night classes at Houghton College to better serve his students while teaching high school math at Belfast Central School from 1966 to 1967.
On Feb.22, 1941, at the age of 14, Wendell joined Belfast Grange No. 1068. In time, he became a member of the Allegany County Pamona Grange, the New York State Grange and the National Grange. He served in almost every office locally, in many offices in the Pamona Grange and several offices in the New York State Grange, including New York State Grange Master from 1975 to 1977. In later years, he became a member of the Almond Grange. While in college as Master of the Cornell Grange, he took a liking to the lecturer, Virginia, whom he soon after married and spent the next 63 wonderful years.
On Pearl Harbor Day, Dec. 7, 1941, Wendell joined the Belfast United Methodist Church. Here, he served the Lord, his community and many, many Swiss steak dinners. Wendell served the Church in many ways, including his time singing in the choir. In his own words, he always said, "I sing for my own amusement and other people's amazement!"
Wendell served his country in World War II entering the U.S. Army on Jan. 23, 1945, as Private First Class Headquarters Company 3rd Battalion 165th Infantry Regiment. He earned an Expert Infantry Badge, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal and Army of Occupation Medal with Japan Clasp. He was honorably discharged from service on Nov. 25, 1946.
With his wife Virginia by his side after their wedding day, they returned to Western New York and the town of Belfast that he loved to join the family dairy farm. There, they made their home and raised corn, cows and kids.
Wendell was not only a farmer but a conservationist. As a dairy farmer, he was eternally optimistic, always looking forward to the future, the next calf, the next crop and the next season. He cared not only for his family but the land itself. He loved to spend time in the woods on the farm, not only cutting his wood for the winter but trying to figure out how to get some of those walnuts from the yard to grow anywhere else.
Wendell served the town of Caneadea as Supervisor, Tax Assessor and Zoning Officer. Wendell served Allegany County, surrounding counties and the state of New York with his participation in the Seneca Trail Resource Conservation & Development Council, and 42 years as director of the Soil and Water Conservation District of Allegany County. Wendell also served in the Oramel and Belfast Volunteer Fire Departments.
Wendell is survived by his wife Virginia; six children, Carl (Heidi) Chamberlain of Amsterdam; Sharon (Joe) Hartzold of Stanford, Ill., Gerald (Beth) Chamberlain of Stillwater, Ellen (Jim) Woolley, Brian Chamberlain and Steven (Vicki) Chamberlain of Belfast; two stepsisters, Joan Russell of Escondido, Calif., and Carol (Tony) Hann of Honolulu, Hawaii; 20 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Wendell was predeceased by his father, mother, stepmother, two brothers, a daughter-in-law, an infant daughter and an infant granddaughter. (Obituary from Olean Times Herald)
Born Sept. 9, 1926, in the town of Belfast, he was the son of Dorance L. Chamberlain and Ruby Grace Foster Chamberlain. At three months of age, Wendell moved from town to the farm of his grandfather, where he lived with his parents till he married Virginia M. Deuell on July 15, 1951, in Saratoga Springs.
Wendell was a graduate of Belfast Central School, Class of 1944; and Cornell University, Class of 1951, where he earned a bachelor's degree in animal science. Also, Wendell took night classes at Houghton College to better serve his students while teaching high school math at Belfast Central School from 1966 to 1967.
On Feb.22, 1941, at the age of 14, Wendell joined Belfast Grange No. 1068. In time, he became a member of the Allegany County Pamona Grange, the New York State Grange and the National Grange. He served in almost every office locally, in many offices in the Pamona Grange and several offices in the New York State Grange, including New York State Grange Master from 1975 to 1977. In later years, he became a member of the Almond Grange. While in college as Master of the Cornell Grange, he took a liking to the lecturer, Virginia, whom he soon after married and spent the next 63 wonderful years.
On Pearl Harbor Day, Dec. 7, 1941, Wendell joined the Belfast United Methodist Church. Here, he served the Lord, his community and many, many Swiss steak dinners. Wendell served the Church in many ways, including his time singing in the choir. In his own words, he always said, "I sing for my own amusement and other people's amazement!"
Wendell served his country in World War II entering the U.S. Army on Jan. 23, 1945, as Private First Class Headquarters Company 3rd Battalion 165th Infantry Regiment. He earned an Expert Infantry Badge, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal and Army of Occupation Medal with Japan Clasp. He was honorably discharged from service on Nov. 25, 1946.
With his wife Virginia by his side after their wedding day, they returned to Western New York and the town of Belfast that he loved to join the family dairy farm. There, they made their home and raised corn, cows and kids.
Wendell was not only a farmer but a conservationist. As a dairy farmer, he was eternally optimistic, always looking forward to the future, the next calf, the next crop and the next season. He cared not only for his family but the land itself. He loved to spend time in the woods on the farm, not only cutting his wood for the winter but trying to figure out how to get some of those walnuts from the yard to grow anywhere else.
Wendell served the town of Caneadea as Supervisor, Tax Assessor and Zoning Officer. Wendell served Allegany County, surrounding counties and the state of New York with his participation in the Seneca Trail Resource Conservation & Development Council, and 42 years as director of the Soil and Water Conservation District of Allegany County. Wendell also served in the Oramel and Belfast Volunteer Fire Departments.
Wendell is survived by his wife Virginia; six children, Carl (Heidi) Chamberlain of Amsterdam; Sharon (Joe) Hartzold of Stanford, Ill., Gerald (Beth) Chamberlain of Stillwater, Ellen (Jim) Woolley, Brian Chamberlain and Steven (Vicki) Chamberlain of Belfast; two stepsisters, Joan Russell of Escondido, Calif., and Carol (Tony) Hann of Honolulu, Hawaii; 20 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Wendell was predeceased by his father, mother, stepmother, two brothers, a daughter-in-law, an infant daughter and an infant granddaughter. (Obituary from Olean Times Herald)
Wendell Eugene Chamberlain, 87, passed away Thursday (July 31, 2014) before the sun came up.
Born Sept. 9, 1926, in the town of Belfast, he was the son of Dorance L. Chamberlain and Ruby Grace Foster Chamberlain. At three months of age, Wendell moved from town to the farm of his grandfather, where he lived with his parents till he married Virginia M. Deuell on July 15, 1951, in Saratoga Springs.
Wendell was a graduate of Belfast Central School, Class of 1944; and Cornell University, Class of 1951, where he earned a bachelor's degree in animal science. Also, Wendell took night classes at Houghton College to better serve his students while teaching high school math at Belfast Central School from 1966 to 1967.
On Feb.22, 1941, at the age of 14, Wendell joined Belfast Grange No. 1068. In time, he became a member of the Allegany County Pamona Grange, the New York State Grange and the National Grange. He served in almost every office locally, in many offices in the Pamona Grange and several offices in the New York State Grange, including New York State Grange Master from 1975 to 1977. In later years, he became a member of the Almond Grange. While in college as Master of the Cornell Grange, he took a liking to the lecturer, Virginia, whom he soon after married and spent the next 63 wonderful years.
On Pearl Harbor Day, Dec. 7, 1941, Wendell joined the Belfast United Methodist Church. Here, he served the Lord, his community and many, many Swiss steak dinners. Wendell served the Church in many ways, including his time singing in the choir. In his own words, he always said, "I sing for my own amusement and other people's amazement!"
Wendell served his country in World War II entering the U.S. Army on Jan. 23, 1945, as Private First Class Headquarters Company 3rd Battalion 165th Infantry Regiment. He earned an Expert Infantry Badge, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal and Army of Occupation Medal with Japan Clasp. He was honorably discharged from service on Nov. 25, 1946.
With his wife Virginia by his side after their wedding day, they returned to Western New York and the town of Belfast that he loved to join the family dairy farm. There, they made their home and raised corn, cows and kids.
Wendell was not only a farmer but a conservationist. As a dairy farmer, he was eternally optimistic, always looking forward to the future, the next calf, the next crop and the next season. He cared not only for his family but the land itself. He loved to spend time in the woods on the farm, not only cutting his wood for the winter but trying to figure out how to get some of those walnuts from the yard to grow anywhere else.
Wendell served the town of Caneadea as Supervisor, Tax Assessor and Zoning Officer. Wendell served Allegany County, surrounding counties and the state of New York with his participation in the Seneca Trail Resource Conservation & Development Council, and 42 years as director of the Soil and Water Conservation District of Allegany County. Wendell also served in the Oramel and Belfast Volunteer Fire Departments.
Wendell is survived by his wife Virginia; six children, Carl (Heidi) Chamberlain of Amsterdam; Sharon (Joe) Hartzold of Stanford, Ill., Gerald (Beth) Chamberlain of Stillwater, Ellen (Jim) Woolley, Brian Chamberlain and Steven (Vicki) Chamberlain of Belfast; two stepsisters, Joan Russell of Escondido, Calif., and Carol (Tony) Hann of Honolulu, Hawaii; 20 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Wendell was predeceased by his father, mother, stepmother, two brothers, a daughter-in-law, an infant daughter and an infant granddaughter. (Obituary from Olean Times Herald)
Born Sept. 9, 1926, in the town of Belfast, he was the son of Dorance L. Chamberlain and Ruby Grace Foster Chamberlain. At three months of age, Wendell moved from town to the farm of his grandfather, where he lived with his parents till he married Virginia M. Deuell on July 15, 1951, in Saratoga Springs.
Wendell was a graduate of Belfast Central School, Class of 1944; and Cornell University, Class of 1951, where he earned a bachelor's degree in animal science. Also, Wendell took night classes at Houghton College to better serve his students while teaching high school math at Belfast Central School from 1966 to 1967.
On Feb.22, 1941, at the age of 14, Wendell joined Belfast Grange No. 1068. In time, he became a member of the Allegany County Pamona Grange, the New York State Grange and the National Grange. He served in almost every office locally, in many offices in the Pamona Grange and several offices in the New York State Grange, including New York State Grange Master from 1975 to 1977. In later years, he became a member of the Almond Grange. While in college as Master of the Cornell Grange, he took a liking to the lecturer, Virginia, whom he soon after married and spent the next 63 wonderful years.
On Pearl Harbor Day, Dec. 7, 1941, Wendell joined the Belfast United Methodist Church. Here, he served the Lord, his community and many, many Swiss steak dinners. Wendell served the Church in many ways, including his time singing in the choir. In his own words, he always said, "I sing for my own amusement and other people's amazement!"
Wendell served his country in World War II entering the U.S. Army on Jan. 23, 1945, as Private First Class Headquarters Company 3rd Battalion 165th Infantry Regiment. He earned an Expert Infantry Badge, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal and Army of Occupation Medal with Japan Clasp. He was honorably discharged from service on Nov. 25, 1946.
With his wife Virginia by his side after their wedding day, they returned to Western New York and the town of Belfast that he loved to join the family dairy farm. There, they made their home and raised corn, cows and kids.
Wendell was not only a farmer but a conservationist. As a dairy farmer, he was eternally optimistic, always looking forward to the future, the next calf, the next crop and the next season. He cared not only for his family but the land itself. He loved to spend time in the woods on the farm, not only cutting his wood for the winter but trying to figure out how to get some of those walnuts from the yard to grow anywhere else.
Wendell served the town of Caneadea as Supervisor, Tax Assessor and Zoning Officer. Wendell served Allegany County, surrounding counties and the state of New York with his participation in the Seneca Trail Resource Conservation & Development Council, and 42 years as director of the Soil and Water Conservation District of Allegany County. Wendell also served in the Oramel and Belfast Volunteer Fire Departments.
Wendell is survived by his wife Virginia; six children, Carl (Heidi) Chamberlain of Amsterdam; Sharon (Joe) Hartzold of Stanford, Ill., Gerald (Beth) Chamberlain of Stillwater, Ellen (Jim) Woolley, Brian Chamberlain and Steven (Vicki) Chamberlain of Belfast; two stepsisters, Joan Russell of Escondido, Calif., and Carol (Tony) Hann of Honolulu, Hawaii; 20 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Wendell was predeceased by his father, mother, stepmother, two brothers, a daughter-in-law, an infant daughter and an infant granddaughter. (Obituary from Olean Times Herald)
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