Ray V. Chamberlin

Ray V. Chamberlin, 82, of Mishawaka, passed away peacefully surrounded by his wife and family members on Friday, September 9, 2016.

Ray was the son of Mishawaka artist, George Chamberlin and Bernice (Edgar) Chamberlin. He is survived by his wife, Stella (Ciszczon) Chamberlin; sons, Daniel Chamberlin of Doylestown, PA, and Dennis Chamberlin and his wife Joan and their children Nicholas, Martin, and Ania of Ames, IA; and a daughter, Carla Chamberlin-Quinlisk and her daughter Ellie of Langhorne, PA. He is also survived by siblings, Frances, Ruthie, Bruce, Tom, and Warren. He was preceded in death by siblings, Edgar, Donald, Alice, and Sally; and son-in-law, Patrick Quinlisk.

Ray attended St. Joseph Catholic Grade School and graduated from Mishawaka High School in 1952. He served in the U.S. Army from 1955 to1957 and then returned to Mishawaka where he began working for Makielski’s Art Shop in South Bend. During this time he met Stella Marie Ciszczon, also of Mishawaka (MHS ’53), and the two married in 1959. In the late sixties he began working as a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service in Mishawaka, retiring after 29 years of service.

Both before and after retirement, Ray led an engaged and active life with Stella, their children and extended families, friends and community members. Ray served as President of the National Association of Letter Carriers (member of NALC for 48 years), an usher for St. Monica Catholic Church, and a volunteer and Committee Chair for Boy Scouts. He served on the Mishawaka Penn Harris Public Library Board of Trustees for 16 years. As a dedicated member of the Mishawaka Lions Club, Ray was honored as Lion of the Year twice, served as the Club President, and named a Melvin Jones Fellow. Ray was honored several times by the Mayor’s Office with the Key to the City of Mishawaka for his community service. In addition, Ray was known for his work in art restoration with many local paintings having been restored through his efforts and talent. Ray organized retrospective exhibitions of his father, George Chamberlin’s, landscape paintings of Mishawaka that record the city’s history in the early decades of the 1900’s.

To family, friends and many citizens of Mishawaka, however, Ray was known and will be remembered for his sense of humor, willingness to lend a helping hand, and his rhyming, often comical, observations of daily life in Mishawaka and the world. As Ray delivered mail and walked around Mishawaka, he began to compose rhymes about current events, people and places. He sent one of his poems to a local radio station and eventually became a regular feature as the “Postal Poet” on the JT in the Morning WSBT radio program. For decades Ray entertained audiences on the radio and later at public readings of his poetry. He was named the Poet Laureate of Mishawaka in 2013.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday, September 16, at 1 pm in St. Monica Catholic Church, 222 W. Mishawaka Ave., Mishawaka, with Rev. Jacob Meyer officiating.

Friends may spend time with Ray’s family Thursday, September 15, from 4 - 7 pm in Goethals & Wells Funeral Home, 503 W. 3rd Street, Mishawka, and Friday from 12 noon - 1 pm in the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are suggested to the Mishawaka Lions Club, PO Box 22, Mishawaka, IN 46546. Assistance with memorials is available at the funeral home.