Carol Lois Chamberlin

Carol Lois Chamberlin, 77, of Lexington, Nebraska, died Wednesday, August 26, 2009, at her home in Lexington. She was born June 11, 1932 at Chicago, Illinois to Harold and Irene (Basch) Schradzke. Carol graduated from high school in Chicago and went on to further her education at the University of Colorado at Boulder majoring in English and minoring in Music. She also took art courses at the Art Institute of Chicago. She was a left handed guitar “picker” and as a teenager and young adult played and sang on early live Chicago TV on shows such as WLS Barn dance and on local radio stations. In her youth, Carol had horses stabled at the now defunct Lincoln Park Stables in Chicago and professionally showed walk, trot and gaited competition throughout the Midwest. She won many ribbons and medals. As a teenager during high school and college Carol was a camp Counselor and Riding instructor at Perry Mansfield Camp in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. She absolutely loved animals. Carol also loved kids and worked for several years as a para-educator at Morton Elementary in Lexington. She was a very creative person and enjoyed writing, music and photography. She was a professional photographer in Chicago and eventually she and Bill opened their own photography studio in Portland, Oregon. She previously had articles published in the New Yorker Magazine and loved to travel, especially trail riding in the western states. Carol was an avid Chicago Cubs fan. Growing up in Chicago Carol’s father was the Wrigley Company corporate attorney and Carol was fortunate enough to know the players personally and even learned to play poker on the lap of her father on Sunday afternoons following the baseball games. Her favorite Cub player was Phil Cavaretta who played first base. WGN TV sponsored an essay contest in the Chicago land high schools and when Carol was a sophomore she won that contest and first prize was being able to conduct a 15 minute live interview with the leadoff man and on that day it was Cub player Lenny Muerello. She had a deep Christian faith and was active in Trinity Lutheran Church. Survivors include her husband: Bill Chamberlin of Lexington, Nebraska Three sons: Ray Chamberlin and fiancé Karm Waltermire of Cozad, Nebraska Jeff Stillwell of Salem, Oregon Ken Stillwell of Vancouver, Washington Seven Grandchildren: Michelle and Sharon Stillwell and Brittany (Ryan) Conroy; Ken Jr. ,Brandon and Allison Stillwell and Cara (Rick) Snow. Several nieces and nephews. Carol was preceded in death by a six month old infant daughter, Linda; parents; sisters, Trudy Wollner in 2008, Jane Adleman and brothers, Alan and Bill Schradzke. The family honored Carol’s wishes that her body be cremated and there will be no visitation. A Celebration of Life Service will be held Thursday, September 3, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lexington with Reverend Michael Gruhn officiating. Memorials are suggested to Trinity Lutheran Church or the American Cancer Society. Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Lexington is in charge of arrangements. Online expressions of sympathy may be directed to: reynoldslovefuneralhome.com.