Robert A. Chamberlain, age 68, passed away in Putnam Hospital on Thursday, April 2, 2020.
Robert (Bob) was born on December 12, 1951, in Yonkers, NY. He grew up in a quiet neighborhood in Cortlandt Manor and attended St.Columbanus and Lakeland High School. He spent many years working and living in Putnam Valley.
Bob had a varied and interesting work career for which he acquired many skills. While attending high school he worked as a mechanic at Caldor Automotive shop, He had a septic business, several trucks, and some heavy equipment. He drove commercially and OTR in the late ’70s and became a member of Local 137 where he worked for some time as a Journeyman Carpenter. He traveled for a bit of troubleshooting construction projects for Turner. Had a period of work during the construction of the JV Mall in Yorktown, fit out a number of Fava shoe stores. He was a part time cop for the Town of Cortlandt NY. He had a general contracting business, did service work for Sears, was a construction manager building modular homes in the late ’80s for CEL Homes.
In 1992 he moved to Poughquag, NY. He owned Mahopac Mower Mart with a partner in the late 90’s. On August 18, 2001, he married Catherine A. Tighe. By then Bob had focused on heavy equipment operation and had positions with several companies before becoming a member of Operating Engineers Local 478 in CT where he worked on many projects for different companies till he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure due to a chronic arrhythmia in 2014 and forced to retire.
Bob was a unique individual, knowledgeable about all sorts of things, intelligent, quick-witted, very good with his hands, he could fix almost anything.
Bob had a great sense of humor and loved to tell stories of funny things that happened at work. Sometimes these were things he instigated.
He liked people for the most part and if he didn’t like you or something you did he was never concerned to speak his mind. He was strong both physically and mentally. He was known to be hot-headed and would not tolerate a fool. He had been in his share of trouble by making trouble. And in his youth was as tough as they come. The kind of guy you would want on your side in a fight.
He was protective of those he loved, many times coming to their aid expecting nothing in return because ‘that’s how it’s supposed to be’.
Bob loved vehicles and everything mechanical. He loved building things and was always able to find some new interest to learn about and do.
He boated both on the Hudson River and the Long Island sound for years. He raced dirt track cars for several seasons and had great stories of that time with other racers and the friends that helped keep the cars running.
Bob owned many vehicles in his lifetime but in 2007 he purchased a Saturn Sky having fallen in love with the cars unusual appearance and enjoyed new friendships and stories cruising the tri-state area with fellow Sky and Solstice owners.
In 2011 Bobs wife surprised him on his 60th birthday with a 1937 Ford Minotti three-window coupe. He and his wife enjoyed going to car shows and cruises and working on it each weekend.
Bob loved animals and particularly dogs, cats, and horses. There were stories of strays he took care of and times he would sneak rides on some horse near his home that he had befriended. At one point the Chamberlains owned five cats but In 2015 they brought home their first dog together, Buddy, and later added Chase to the family. Bob was a proud pet parent and Buddy, Chase and the two cats Cali and Cleo were his constant companions during the years of his illness.
Bob was preceded in death by his father Clarence, and his mother Florence, His uncle Arthur and his aunt Patricia. He is survived by his wife Cathy, his sister Susan, and several cousins.
Due to the CoVid19 guidelines there will be no wake and a private funeral service with immediate family will be held on Tuesday, April 7, 2020
In lieu of flowers please consider donating to the ASPCA or to Shriners or St. Jude Children’s Hospitals. Bob loved the children in the Shriners commercials. He was so impressed with them and would surely think that was a great tribute to help them.
