Theodore "Ted" Lee Chamberlain

Theodore “Ted” Chamberlain died Wednesday, February 12, 2003 at the Chippewa County - Montevideo Hospital at the age of 79.

Memorial services will be held Sunday, February 16, 2003 at 1:30 P.M. at the United Methodist Church in Montevideo.  Rev. Paul Woolverton will officiate and interment will be at Sunset Memorial Cemetery.

Theodore Lee Chamberlain was born January 18, 1924 in Olivia, MN the son of Ernest and Harriet (Fahler) Chamberlain.  Ted graduated from Olivia High School in 1942 where he was a member of the basketball team that won the District Championship.  He attended Macalaster College in St. Paul, MN for one year before enlisting in the V-12 program.  He was transferred to the University of Dubuque and then to Iowa State College in Ames, IA.  He graduated from Iowa State College with a BS degree in Civil Engineering in 1945.  While at Iowa State, he played on the Varsity Cyclone basketball team which won the Big Six Championship in 1945.  Ted served in the US Navy Seabees during WWII.  After the war, he worked for the Iowa State Highway Commission in Council Bluffs, Henningson, Durham & Richardson in Omaha, and E.L. Chamberlain Engineering Co. in Olivia, MN.  He was united in marriage with Jeraldine Butler March 31, 1951 at Council Bluffs, IA. They made their home in Montevideo, MN where he established Chamberlain Engineering Co. with his wife Jeri by his side as secretary.  From 1951 - 1990 Ted was consulting Engineer on 664 Agricultural Drainage Projects in 20 counties in southwestern Minnesota and 148 Municipal Improvements including storm sewers, sanitary sewers, water-mains, and street improvements for 14 cities.

Ted was a member of N.S.P.E. and past vice-president and secretary of the M.S.P.E. engineering societies.  He and Jeri were active in the United Methodist Church, he was a member of the American Legion and the V.F.W.  His favorite pastime was fishing and enjoying their lake home with their families on Lake Minnewaska.  He also enjoyed deer hunting and pheasant hunting.

He is survived by his wife, Jeri; four children: Lori Vadnais and her husband Leo of Murdock, MN, Al Chamberlain and his wife Cyndy of St. Louis Park, MN, Sara Schultz of Montevideo, MN and Carol Chamberlain of Richardson, TX; seven grandchildren: Marie Vadnais, Christopher Vadnais, Christine Schultz, Melissa Schultz, Daniel Schultz, Alec Chamberlain, and Kaylee Chamberlain; one brother-in-law, Dr. Fred Bathke of Hayward, WI; and several nieces and nephews.

Preceding him in death were his parents; two sisters: Mary Bathke and Janet Wellman; and one brother-in-law, John Wellman.