Roger Dennis Chamberlain

Roger was born on September 21, 1956 in Dover, DE to Marie Anne (Lirio) Chamberlain and Everett “Jake” Bacon Chamberlain. He was the youngest of four boys including Everett Bacon, Alfred Paul, and Eric David. As a boy, Roger relocated with his family to Victoria, Texas, and then to Crownsville, MD. In 1963, the family moved to a new house on Firtree Lane in Bowie, MD where the boys grew up. Roger loved his hometown of Bowie and attended three elementary schools in the then-new Belair-at-Bowie community: Kenilworth, Foxhill, and Tulip Grove. After attending Belair Junior High and Benjamin Tasker Middle School, Roger graduated from Bowie High School in 1974. It was during this time that he met the love of his life, Kathleen “Kathy” Ann Kelly. He also met a group of lifelong friends, many of whom he remained in touch with and was a part of the Class of ‘74 Reunion Committee starting with the 10-year reunion.

On June 3, 1978, Roger and Kathy were married at Sacred Heart Chapel in Bowie. They went on to have three children: Caitlin Ann; Matthew Denis; and Paul Everett. All three children are also Bowie High School alumni. He was a loving husband and doting father, always making time to make sure his wife and children knew they were loved. His sense of humor and kindness got the family through the good and bad times. He attended all of his kids’ soccer, hockey, and baseball games, music recitals, plays, and served as a Scout Master for Boy Scout Troop 1009.

Roger and his family lived in Bowie and he worked at FedEx for several years, starting as a courier and working his way up to Operations Manager. Over the years he also worked for Standard Coffee Company, Midsouth Building Supply, West Marine, and Hargrove LLC before fully retiring. In 2014, Roger became a grandfather when his grandson Colton Eugene was born, and again with the birth of Zara Marcy in 2016. Roger absolutely loved being a grandfather, and wholeheartedly embraced his role as Grandpa Roger.

An accomplished musician, Roger played guitar and sang. He even tinkered a little with the piano and inspired all three children to take up an instrument or two. He also had an encyclopedic knowledge of music from the 1960s and 1970s, with a record collection to match. He loved many genres and introduced his family to a wide variety of styles, from playing Vivaldi while eating a home cooked dinner (he loved cooking, especially his mother’s recipes) to driving down the backroads of PG and Anne Arundel Counties with the volume cranked to 11. Roger had played in several bands in his youth and would sometimes join his daughter at an occasional local open mic night.

Roger loved his family, and made a point to stay in constant contact with his brothers, where they would coordinate various visits and get togethers. He was a true family man who was loved dearly by his immediate and extended family including nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who are like family.

He was predeceased by his parents, Jake and Marie, and eldest brother Everett. Roger is survived by his beloved wife of 45 years, Kathy; his daughter, Caitlin and her husband Jason Ludlow; son Matthew and his children, Colton and Zara; and son Paul and his girlfriend Katie Terpstra; his sister-in-law, Beverly Chamberlain (Everett); brothers Eric and Alfred (Elaine). He is also survived by a host of family and friends including parents-in-law Joan and Denis Kelly; nieces Nicole Chamberlain Price (Brandon) and Anne Chamberlain; nephews Geoff Chamberlain (Brienna); Tim Chamberlain (Sandra); Dan Chamberlain (Casey); Tom Chamberlain (Sophie); great-nieces Bella, Adalyn, and Marigold; and a variety of cousins and relatives in the Chamberlain, Bacon, and Gittone families, and Judith Prest.

A gathering of friends and family will take place on Monday, January 8, 2024, at Robert E. Evans Funeral Home, 16000 Annapolis Road, Bowie, MD 20715. A viewing and visitation will be from 2-4 PM, with a memorial service to follow onsite at 4 PM.

Memorial contributions can be made to The Center for American Military Music Opportunities, www.cammomusic.org. There is also a Go Fund Me account to support the family in their time of need, https://gofund.me/86f7bef0