When Eugene Chamberlin left Montana for San Diego 47 years ago, he became one of the best educated gas-station attendants around.
Maybe the only one, in fact, with credentials as an assistant professor and a doctorate degree in history from the University of California Berkeley.
But while Dr. Chamberlin pumped gas in North Park during the summer, he was able to line up a job in the fall as a history teacher at San Diego City College.
Dr. Chamberlin, an expert on Baja California who combined teaching with researching and writing about regional history, died Monday at Scripps Mercy Hospital. He was 85.
The cause of death was complications from pneumonia, said daughter Rebecca Washburn.
From 1970 to 1996, Dr. Chamberlin served as a historian for E Clampus Vitus, Squibob Chapter, a historic preservation group that places plaques and monuments at sites throughout the state.
Known to his fellow history buffs as "Doc" because of his advanced education, Dr. Chamberlin applied his fluency in Spanish to many of his research projects. He wrote several booklets on the history of the West and articles on northwestern Mexico for professional journals.
The 11th Humbug of John P Squibob Chapter 1853 in 1972.
His desire to be closer to Baja California, the subject of his doctoral dissertation in 1949, led him to leave Montana State University, family members said.
Dr. Chamberlin taught 24 years at City College, five years at Miramar College and three years at Mesa College before retiring in 1986. He came out of retirement in 1998 to teach history for a year at MiraCosta College in Oceanside.
During his career as an educator, he taught extension courses in California history from 1964 to 1968 for the University of California San Diego and night classes at San Diego State University from 1965 to 1968.
For many summers, he drove a Yellow Cab in addition to teaching summer school to support his wife and four children.
Dr. Chamberlin was born in the San Joaquin Valley town of Volta, where his first years were on a cattle ranch. His mother died when he was a child, and he moved many times during the Depression as his father took a variety of jobs. "Everything from cutting wood to working in carnivals," Washburn said. "And my father helped whenever he could."
Before enrolling at UC-Berkeley, Dr. Chamberlin attended more than 20 high schools in four years, Washburn said.
His first teaching job, after graduating Phi Beta Kappa, was from 1941 to 1943 at Lassen High School and Lassen Junior College in Susanville.
In 1948, he accepted a post as a history instructor at Montana State. "He hadn't quite finished his doctoral dissertation, and Montana State was almost desperate to get someone with a Berkeley degree," his wife said. "It was hard for them to find somebody (from California) to go there. We went with the idea that he would finish his doctorate at Berkeley."
Dr. Chamberlin completed work for his doctorate and went on to become an assistant professor at Montana State in 1951.
After making his home in North Park, he immersed himself in historical organizations, including the San Diego Historical Society, the County Congress of History, the American History Association and the Cultural Association of the Californias.
He served over the years as president of the Squibob Chapter of E Clampus Vitus, the county Congress of History and the California Chapter of the American Association of University Professors.
In 1991, he received the prestigious Ben Dixon award from the Congress of History, San Diego and Imperial Counties.
"His recreation and his passion was his research in history," Washburn said.
Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Margaret; daughters, Linda Davies of Forest Grove, Ore., and Rebecca Washburn of San Diego; sons, Thomas of La Mesa and Eric of San Diego; a sister, Agnes Crowell of Vallejo; 12 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
A memorial service is scheduled for noon tomorrow at El Camino Memorial Park Chapel, 5600 Carroll Canyon Road, San Diego. Donations are suggested in Dr. Chamberlin's name to the Mennonite Church of San Diego, in care of Ann Moyer, 4361 35th St., San Diego, CA 92116.
Maybe the only one, in fact, with credentials as an assistant professor and a doctorate degree in history from the University of California Berkeley.
But while Dr. Chamberlin pumped gas in North Park during the summer, he was able to line up a job in the fall as a history teacher at San Diego City College.
Dr. Chamberlin, an expert on Baja California who combined teaching with researching and writing about regional history, died Monday at Scripps Mercy Hospital. He was 85.
The cause of death was complications from pneumonia, said daughter Rebecca Washburn.
From 1970 to 1996, Dr. Chamberlin served as a historian for E Clampus Vitus, Squibob Chapter, a historic preservation group that places plaques and monuments at sites throughout the state.
Known to his fellow history buffs as "Doc" because of his advanced education, Dr. Chamberlin applied his fluency in Spanish to many of his research projects. He wrote several booklets on the history of the West and articles on northwestern Mexico for professional journals.
The 11th Humbug of John P Squibob Chapter 1853 in 1972.
His desire to be closer to Baja California, the subject of his doctoral dissertation in 1949, led him to leave Montana State University, family members said.
Dr. Chamberlin taught 24 years at City College, five years at Miramar College and three years at Mesa College before retiring in 1986. He came out of retirement in 1998 to teach history for a year at MiraCosta College in Oceanside.
During his career as an educator, he taught extension courses in California history from 1964 to 1968 for the University of California San Diego and night classes at San Diego State University from 1965 to 1968.
For many summers, he drove a Yellow Cab in addition to teaching summer school to support his wife and four children.
Dr. Chamberlin was born in the San Joaquin Valley town of Volta, where his first years were on a cattle ranch. His mother died when he was a child, and he moved many times during the Depression as his father took a variety of jobs. "Everything from cutting wood to working in carnivals," Washburn said. "And my father helped whenever he could."
Before enrolling at UC-Berkeley, Dr. Chamberlin attended more than 20 high schools in four years, Washburn said.
His first teaching job, after graduating Phi Beta Kappa, was from 1941 to 1943 at Lassen High School and Lassen Junior College in Susanville.
In 1948, he accepted a post as a history instructor at Montana State. "He hadn't quite finished his doctoral dissertation, and Montana State was almost desperate to get someone with a Berkeley degree," his wife said. "It was hard for them to find somebody (from California) to go there. We went with the idea that he would finish his doctorate at Berkeley."
Dr. Chamberlin completed work for his doctorate and went on to become an assistant professor at Montana State in 1951.
After making his home in North Park, he immersed himself in historical organizations, including the San Diego Historical Society, the County Congress of History, the American History Association and the Cultural Association of the Californias.
He served over the years as president of the Squibob Chapter of E Clampus Vitus, the county Congress of History and the California Chapter of the American Association of University Professors.
In 1991, he received the prestigious Ben Dixon award from the Congress of History, San Diego and Imperial Counties.
"His recreation and his passion was his research in history," Washburn said.
Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Margaret; daughters, Linda Davies of Forest Grove, Ore., and Rebecca Washburn of San Diego; sons, Thomas of La Mesa and Eric of San Diego; a sister, Agnes Crowell of Vallejo; 12 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
A memorial service is scheduled for noon tomorrow at El Camino Memorial Park Chapel, 5600 Carroll Canyon Road, San Diego. Donations are suggested in Dr. Chamberlin's name to the Mennonite Church of San Diego, in care of Ann Moyer, 4361 35th St., San Diego, CA 92116.
When Eugene Chamberlin left Montana for San Diego 47 years ago, he became one of the best educated gas-station attendants around.
Maybe the only one, in fact, with credentials as an assistant professor and a doctorate degree in history from the University of California Berkeley.
But while Dr. Chamberlin pumped gas in North Park during the summer, he was able to line up a job in the fall as a history teacher at San Diego City College.
Dr. Chamberlin, an expert on Baja California who combined teaching with researching and writing about regional history, died Monday at Scripps Mercy Hospital. He was 85.
The cause of death was complications from pneumonia, said daughter Rebecca Washburn.
From 1970 to 1996, Dr. Chamberlin served as a historian for E Clampus Vitus, Squibob Chapter, a historic preservation group that places plaques and monuments at sites throughout the state.
Known to his fellow history buffs as "Doc" because of his advanced education, Dr. Chamberlin applied his fluency in Spanish to many of his research projects. He wrote several booklets on the history of the West and articles on northwestern Mexico for professional journals.
The 11th Humbug of John P Squibob Chapter 1853 in 1972.
His desire to be closer to Baja California, the subject of his doctoral dissertation in 1949, led him to leave Montana State University, family members said.
Dr. Chamberlin taught 24 years at City College, five years at Miramar College and three years at Mesa College before retiring in 1986. He came out of retirement in 1998 to teach history for a year at MiraCosta College in Oceanside.
During his career as an educator, he taught extension courses in California history from 1964 to 1968 for the University of California San Diego and night classes at San Diego State University from 1965 to 1968.
For many summers, he drove a Yellow Cab in addition to teaching summer school to support his wife and four children.
Dr. Chamberlin was born in the San Joaquin Valley town of Volta, where his first years were on a cattle ranch. His mother died when he was a child, and he moved many times during the Depression as his father took a variety of jobs. "Everything from cutting wood to working in carnivals," Washburn said. "And my father helped whenever he could."
Before enrolling at UC-Berkeley, Dr. Chamberlin attended more than 20 high schools in four years, Washburn said.
His first teaching job, after graduating Phi Beta Kappa, was from 1941 to 1943 at Lassen High School and Lassen Junior College in Susanville.
In 1948, he accepted a post as a history instructor at Montana State. "He hadn't quite finished his doctoral dissertation, and Montana State was almost desperate to get someone with a Berkeley degree," his wife said. "It was hard for them to find somebody (from California) to go there. We went with the idea that he would finish his doctorate at Berkeley."
Dr. Chamberlin completed work for his doctorate and went on to become an assistant professor at Montana State in 1951.
After making his home in North Park, he immersed himself in historical organizations, including the San Diego Historical Society, the County Congress of History, the American History Association and the Cultural Association of the Californias.
He served over the years as president of the Squibob Chapter of E Clampus Vitus, the county Congress of History and the California Chapter of the American Association of University Professors.
In 1991, he received the prestigious Ben Dixon award from the Congress of History, San Diego and Imperial Counties.
"His recreation and his passion was his research in history," Washburn said.
Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Margaret; daughters, Linda Davies of Forest Grove, Ore., and Rebecca Washburn of San Diego; sons, Thomas of La Mesa and Eric of San Diego; a sister, Agnes Crowell of Vallejo; 12 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
A memorial service is scheduled for noon tomorrow at El Camino Memorial Park Chapel, 5600 Carroll Canyon Road, San Diego. Donations are suggested in Dr. Chamberlin's name to the Mennonite Church of San Diego, in care of Ann Moyer, 4361 35th St., San Diego, CA 92116.
Maybe the only one, in fact, with credentials as an assistant professor and a doctorate degree in history from the University of California Berkeley.
But while Dr. Chamberlin pumped gas in North Park during the summer, he was able to line up a job in the fall as a history teacher at San Diego City College.
Dr. Chamberlin, an expert on Baja California who combined teaching with researching and writing about regional history, died Monday at Scripps Mercy Hospital. He was 85.
The cause of death was complications from pneumonia, said daughter Rebecca Washburn.
From 1970 to 1996, Dr. Chamberlin served as a historian for E Clampus Vitus, Squibob Chapter, a historic preservation group that places plaques and monuments at sites throughout the state.
Known to his fellow history buffs as "Doc" because of his advanced education, Dr. Chamberlin applied his fluency in Spanish to many of his research projects. He wrote several booklets on the history of the West and articles on northwestern Mexico for professional journals.
The 11th Humbug of John P Squibob Chapter 1853 in 1972.
His desire to be closer to Baja California, the subject of his doctoral dissertation in 1949, led him to leave Montana State University, family members said.
Dr. Chamberlin taught 24 years at City College, five years at Miramar College and three years at Mesa College before retiring in 1986. He came out of retirement in 1998 to teach history for a year at MiraCosta College in Oceanside.
During his career as an educator, he taught extension courses in California history from 1964 to 1968 for the University of California San Diego and night classes at San Diego State University from 1965 to 1968.
For many summers, he drove a Yellow Cab in addition to teaching summer school to support his wife and four children.
Dr. Chamberlin was born in the San Joaquin Valley town of Volta, where his first years were on a cattle ranch. His mother died when he was a child, and he moved many times during the Depression as his father took a variety of jobs. "Everything from cutting wood to working in carnivals," Washburn said. "And my father helped whenever he could."
Before enrolling at UC-Berkeley, Dr. Chamberlin attended more than 20 high schools in four years, Washburn said.
His first teaching job, after graduating Phi Beta Kappa, was from 1941 to 1943 at Lassen High School and Lassen Junior College in Susanville.
In 1948, he accepted a post as a history instructor at Montana State. "He hadn't quite finished his doctoral dissertation, and Montana State was almost desperate to get someone with a Berkeley degree," his wife said. "It was hard for them to find somebody (from California) to go there. We went with the idea that he would finish his doctorate at Berkeley."
Dr. Chamberlin completed work for his doctorate and went on to become an assistant professor at Montana State in 1951.
After making his home in North Park, he immersed himself in historical organizations, including the San Diego Historical Society, the County Congress of History, the American History Association and the Cultural Association of the Californias.
He served over the years as president of the Squibob Chapter of E Clampus Vitus, the county Congress of History and the California Chapter of the American Association of University Professors.
In 1991, he received the prestigious Ben Dixon award from the Congress of History, San Diego and Imperial Counties.
"His recreation and his passion was his research in history," Washburn said.
Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Margaret; daughters, Linda Davies of Forest Grove, Ore., and Rebecca Washburn of San Diego; sons, Thomas of La Mesa and Eric of San Diego; a sister, Agnes Crowell of Vallejo; 12 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
A memorial service is scheduled for noon tomorrow at El Camino Memorial Park Chapel, 5600 Carroll Canyon Road, San Diego. Donations are suggested in Dr. Chamberlin's name to the Mennonite Church of San Diego, in care of Ann Moyer, 4361 35th St., San Diego, CA 92116.
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