Chamberlain, Ronald Joseph (1949 - 2019)

CHAMBERLAIN, SCHULTE, LORD, DINAN, OLSASKY, KLEFFMAN, PETSCHE, GAUL

Posted By: Denise Wurner (email)
Date: 1/16/2020 at 16:25:32

Name of deceased: Ronald Joseph Chamberlain

Aged: 70 yrs, 9 mo, 8 days

Residence: Panama, Shelby County, IA

Born: March 20, 1949; Harlan, Shelby County, IA

Died: Dec. 28, 2019; University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Douglas County, NE

Funeral services: Mass of Christian Burial: Friday, Jan. 3, 2020; St. Mary’s of the Assumption Catholic Church, Panama, IA; burial was in the Washington Township Cemetery, Panama, IA

Survived by: Daughter, Wendy Schulte of AZ; granddaughters, Berlyn, Brooke, Tecka and Toddi; 2 great-grandchildren; brother, Rev. Robert Chamberlain, Des Moines, IA; sister, Betty Lord (spouse, Dick) Dinan, Elkader, IA; twin siblings, Al (spouse, Paula) Chamberlain and Alice Chamberlain, both of Omaha, NE; twin siblings, Duane (spouse, Kathy) Chamberlain of Omaha, NE and Jane (spouse, Dave) Olsasky of Des Moines, IA; sister, Diane (spouse, Dave) Kleffman of Glenwood, IA; nieces; nephews; other family members and friends

Predeceased by: Parents, Irvin C. (1983) and Agnes M. (nee Petsche) (1998) Chamberlain; sister, Grace Gaul (2012); brother-in-law, Garry Gaul (2016); niece, Kathy Gaul (2018); brother-in-law, Glen Lord (1994); niece, Wendy Lord (2019)

Education: Attended and graduated from St. Mary's School of Portsmouth, IA, and then graduated from John F. Kennedy College, Wahoo, NE. He continued his education at Dana College in Blair, NE, and Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, IA, and received teaching and coaching endorsements. He played high school baseball, basketball, town-team baseball, basketball and attended college on a baseball scholarship.

Religious affiliation: Catholic

Military service: no information provided

Marriage: no information provided

Employment: He was a salesman for World Book encyclopedia for 18 years, but his main ambition was to become a teacher. He taught in numerous school districts in southwest Iowa, both as a teacher and as a substitute. For the past 6 years, he also loved writing a column for the Harlan Newspaper, “Coffee With Ron” and covered topics from personal history, local celebrations, trivia and memories from the past.

Hobbies/Interests: Loved sports, history and genealogy; he played baseball for over 33 years, coached baseball for 20 years, and coached basketball for 15 years; Ron devoted much interest to the one-room schoolhouse, the school building which was moved from the country to Panama, IA; was instrumental in founding the Western Iowa Pioneer Cemetery Association (W.I.P.C.A.) in 2010; was also a member of the Panama Athletic Association, Panama Community Chorus, Shelby County Historical Society, the Harrison County Genealogical Society, and the Golden Kiwanis in Harlan.

Sources: harlanonline.com; foutsfuneralhome.com