Obituary of Francis Rhodes Chamberlain

Francis Rhodes "Fritz" Chamberlain, age 89 of Hunlock Creek, passed Sunday, June 23, 2013 at the Commonwealth Home Health & Hospice, Wilkes-Barre. Mr. Chamberlain was born in Westfield, NJ on October 11, 1923 and was the son of the late Walter and Edith Collins Chamberlain. Fritz is a Marine who proudly served his country as a combat photographer in the South Pacific during World War II. He was employed at WBRE for 35 years as a news photographer. Fritz was a member of Nanticoke Lodge 541 F & AM, and the Irem Temple Shrine. He also served as secretary of the Lake Silkworth Volunteer Fire Department since 1976. Fritz is survived by his wife of 66 years, Donna Croop Chamberlain, daughter of the late Mark and Josephine Croop; sons, Mark and his wife Kathy of Kingston and Jim and his wife Beth of Hunlock Creek; brother, Robert and his wife Marlene of Pittston; grandchildren, Stacy C. Roberts and her husband Jimmy of Sweet Valley, Jimmer of Kingston, Ernie and his wife Rachel of Kane, Rachel Simmonette and her husband Bobby of Hunlock Creek, Kelly Chamberlain of Kingston and Molly Chamberlain of Albany, NY; great-grandchildren, Kate and Colby Roberts, Ivy, Hailey, and Zack of Shavertown, Ada, Phinn and Keller of Kane, Adam and Emma Simmonette; sister-in-law, Joyce and family of Dallas; cousin, Stephen Doberstein and wife Audrey of Wilmington, DE; brother-in-law, "Our" Russell Spalding of Atlanta, GA; nieces, Ann Spadling Cochran and husband Lamar and Carol Spalding Wakamo and husband Charlie and children, Amy and Brian of Atlanta, GA and Conner of San Francisco, CA; good friend, Dan Deemers who was part of our family and his son Andy of New York; nephew, Tom Croop and his wife Vicky and children, Grace, Elizabeth and Collin; nieces, Jane Leffler and her husband Mark and sons, John and Ben and Susan and Cathy Croop, both of New York. Fritz is sadly missed by his family. Friends and family are invited to a celebration of Fritz's life on Monday, July 1, 2013 from 6 PM - 8 PM at the Curtis L. Swanson Funeral Home, Inc., corners of routes 29 and 118, Pikes Creek. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial contributions to be made to Lake Silkworth Volunteer Fire Department, 26 Thorny Apple Dr., Hunlock Creek, PA 18621.