Patricia Ann Chamberlain

Dear Family and Friends,

We are all gathered here today, and I have some thoughts I want to share with you. This won’t take long:

I have had a life well lived. I believe that we live our lives in phases: according to age, environment, people around us, and how they affect us. So here goes my life-

Phase 1: Childhood- Mine couldn’t have been better!! Good parents, big family and lots of opportunity.

Phase 2: Love & Marriage- Well sorta blew this one, but I got four outstanding kids in that deal. More about them later…

Phase 3: MAMO! My mother she reeled me in. She said I had four kids to raise and educate; so I had to complete my own education first. She was right, as always. But we had some difficult years then. Remember kids? At his point in time, Mark was living with his dad in Oklahoma and was missed by the family. We were a tribe of women, living month to month on next to nothing, but we had each other.

Phase 4: Career- Teaching for 26 years made me feel, I had made the world a better place. I’ve got to give credit to my partner, best friend, and practically my sister, Kathy Elliott. We were a great team! Linda Fontaine kept us on course; and there were others that I respected, and admired and learned from. I was proud to be called an educator, because I learned so much from those people. Kathy and her husband, Floyd have taken care of me these last “few” phases. Love and thanks.

Phase 5: Prince Charming, better known as Newell Chamberlain or Papa New- He swept me off my feet! He was the kindest, most gentle, and giving person I have ever known- brave too! To marry me with three teenage daughters, that took courage! We managed to get them educated and married along the way. Thanks to their own dedication to their own goals- we raised strong kids.

Phase 6: Retirement- We got to travel- many cruises, but didn’t get to see it all. Then Mamo came to live with us. Newell got sick and so did I. It was a horrible time, but Papa and I had 37 good years of marriage.

Phase 7: Change of Life- Doors close and new ones open. I joined the YSI group and volunteered at the store. More new friends added to my life, some I still keep in touch with, they brought fun back in my world. I discovered the senior centers! They saved my life. More new and cherished friends and new interests! First I started line dancing- loved it. It took a hip replacement to make me quit. Then I found art classes and marched myself right over and announced I was going to stay all day. Best decision I had made in quite a while. My art friends enriched my life, you know who you are- too many names to list, but all those prayers, smiles, hugs, spring rolls, and cards you’ve given me made me feel loved. Then I became a red hat lady, another new group to light up my life, I jumped in with both feet- and have a red hat bedroom that is not to be believed!

ALL PHASES OF MY LIFE: My children have made me proud! They chose wonderful partners, gave me seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren that I adore- I am so proud of them. We went through tough times, some we can laugh about…others not so funny, but through it all there was love, loyalty and devotion. You of all people made my life the most special…. A life worth living!

So be thankful for your family and friends. Enjoy each day as if it were the first or the last. Give smiles, hugs, and thank yous- and always say I love you!

Love

Pat