John Bachelder Chamberlin,90, of Fairfax, Vermont passed away on September 26, 2013. He was born in a small red brick house in East Concord on December 3, 1923, the fourth of six children born to Harold Curtis Chamberlin and Ruth Marian Bachelder, both of good Yankee stock.

He was the eighth great-grandson of Henry “the blacksmith” Chamberlin, who settled in Hingham, Massachusetts in the mid-1600s. Later, the family moved to Strafford, Vermont to become successful farmers and respected members of the community. In the late 1800s, Curtis Chamberlin followed his father-in-law, Doctor Edwin Annable to Concord.

John was proud of his roots and never tired of recounting family stories and telling jokes about New England life. One tale was about Vermont’s “side-hill cows,” with one set of legs shorter than the other so they could only walk around the hill in one direction. He would say, “I was born in Concord. I remember it well; I was very young, and my mother was there at the time.”

The days of his youth were spent helping on the family farm. His mother was known to have remarked, “He got more milk in the pail than his father.” He claimed to have been able to squirt milk into your mouth from eight feet away.

During World War II, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps after his graduation from high school and served in the Pacific theater on Guam and Canton Islands. With the woodworking skills he learned from his father, he became a pattern maker and repaired damaged planes. Although he would tell stories meant to make you believe he was a rascal in the service, he managed to earn a good conduct medal.

He loved the outdoors. Many hours were spent fishing with his brothers and cousins and other local boys in the streams and ponds around East Concord. He was a collector of old things: American stamps, glass bottles, crockery, and family genealogy.

After the war, he moved to Andover and worked selling insurance for Alan Thompson Agency and other agencies in Newport and Claremont. For John, it was half work and half fun, as he loved visiting with people, and many of his customers became good friends.

He served his community through membership in the VFW and Lions Club and was elected twice to the Andover Board of Selectmen, which included a term as Head Selectman.

After retiring, he moved with his wife Estella to the Denver area. John was proud of his Yankee roots and wore his New England Patriots colors proudly and defiantly, even when living in Denver Broncos territory. After the death of his wife, he moved back east to live with his son Stephen and his wife in Vermont. He loved living in Vermont.

John is survived by his sister, Margaret Whittier, of Concord and his brother, Henry Chamberlin, of Contoocook. He was predeceased by his sister, Mara Chamberlin; two brothers, William Chamberlin and David Chamberlin; and a step-daughter, Joy Chamberlin. He leaves his children: Ruth Chamberlin of Greenfield, Massachusetts; Stephen Chamberlin and his wife Susannah of Fairfax, Vermont; Peter Chamberlin and his wife Brenda of Warner; and a step-son, Kenneth Hazen and his wife Louise of Warner. He also leaves six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, as well as a large extended family.

John was married to Helen Tinker, Ruby Hazen (deceased), and Estella Beltz, who passed away in 2009.

Although he was taken from us unexpectedly, it is a comfort to know that John passed away doing what he dearly loved: going out for his daily two-mile walk in farm country, watching the cows and other wildlife and chatting with the neighbors. He will be remembered for his kindness and his gentle nature. He was an easy person to get to know and even easier to become fond of.

Friends and relatives may call from 6 to 8 PM on Thursday, October 3, at the HL Young and Company Memorial Home, 175 South Main Street, Franklin. A graveside funeral service with military honors will be held at 11 AM on Friday, October 4, with Reverend Preston Fuller officiating in Proctor Cemetery, Main Street, Andover. Memorial contributions may be made to the Fairfax Rescue, PO Box 428, Fairfax VT 05454.