Robert Baker Chambers Jr. (1917 - 2011)

Born 6 Jun 1917 in Unionville, Chester, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Died 19 Apr 2011 at age 93 in Oxford, Chester, Pennsylvania, United States

Biography

Occupation: Horticulture, cabinetry.

Note: #N515.

Notes

Note N515.

Bob grew up on his father's dairy farm on the edge of Unionville, East Marlborough Township, Chester County PA and later operated it with his brother Frank.

Trained in forestry at Penn State University, where he graduated in 1938, Bob worked in numerous jobs during his younger years, including being a surveyor with the Penna. state highway dept. until WW II began. At that point the draft board sent him back to help his father operate the dairy farm during the war, since the farm help had all been drafted. After the war, Bob worked with a local builder for several years while constructing his own ranch-style home on land next to his wife’s family orchard (Barnard Orchards), then with a lumber yard, then had a pallet-making business with partners near Coatesville Pa. His final job was 20 years in the Horticulture Dept. at Longwood Gardens, an ornamental public garden near West Chester PA, from which he retired.

After retiring, Bob did fulltime cabinetry (furniture building) for clients as well as clock repair, in his home outside Unionville. He met Jan Binkley when he took up ballroom dancing. Until his death in 2011 he was devoted to bowling and playing the organ. At their retirement villa at Ware Presbyterian Village in Oxford PA, he couldn’t resist gardening, and had extensive bird feeders set where he could watch the birds while eating breakfast and dinner.

The Chambers family were originally Quakers, early settlers in DE and PA, intermarried with many other early Quaker families – the various lines immigrated between 1672 (his mother’s THOMPSONs to Quaker West New Jersey) and 1710 (his first CHAMBERS to White Clay Creek in Delaware). Bob was descended from many of the first Quakers who settled in SE Pennsylvania, northern Delaware, and northern Maryland. The CHAMBERS line had spread north out of Delaware into sourthern Chester Co, PA. The farm near Unionville was located on the W side of the Embreeville Rd., just north of the main street through Unionville, namely W. Doe Run Rd (St Hwy 82). This land was in the family 5 generations, until sold by Bob's father in the 1950s.

Bob’s mother's family were also longtime Quakers in the vicinity around Kennett Square PA. She remained Quaker and had a strong influence on her son Robert.

Bob Chambers actually died in Christiana Hospital, New Castle County, Delaware, though he was residing at Ware Village, Oxford PA.

Bob’s ashes are buried at Unionville Cem with his parents, grandparents, greatgrandparents, in the middle of the cemetery.

His sister in law Betty, Frank’s wife, died in July 2012 in Florida; memorial held 10/27/12 at Bethany Presby. Ch. near Longwood PA. Ashes spread at the Chambers Lake in Chester Co PA, with Frank’s. 1

ROBERT BAKER CHAMBERS JR.

Obituary

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Condolences 1

Robert Baker Chambers Robert Baker Chambers, Jr. of Oxford Robert Baker Chambers, Jr., age 93, of Oxford, Pennsylvania, passed away on April 19, 2011 at Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware. Born June 7, 1917, and raised on the family dairy farm in Unionville, Pennsylvania, he was the son of the late Robert B. Chambers, Sr., and Mary Walter Chambers. He and his wife, Jane Barnard Chambers, lived and served together in the Unionville community for 50 years, being active members of the East Lynn Grange, Marlborough Meeting House and Unionville Farm Show, where he enjoyed volunteering as an entry judge as recently as 2010. He graduated from Pennsylvania State College with a degree in Forestry and was a horticulturist at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, for over 25 years, primarily involved with the care and management of the Arboretum until his retirement in 1985. He enjoyed many leisure hours as a craftsman of fine woodworking, designing and building unique pieces for family and friends. He also enjoyed singing with barber shop choruses and quartets, as well as bowling for the past several years. He resided in the Ware Presbyterian Village in Oxford with Janet Binkley, where he continued to enjoy playing the organ, woodworking, gardening and bird watching. He is survived by a son, Phillip B. Chambers (and Georgia) of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and two daughters, Diana C. Bausman (and John) of Glen Arm, Maryland, and Mary C. Humpton (and Roger) of Newark, Delaware. He also had seven grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren. A memorial reception will be held at the Ware Presbyterian Village at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made in their father's memory to The Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Avenue, Nebraska City, NE 68410, or online at www.arborday.org Arrangements are being handled by Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. (610)444-4116. 1

Published in Daily Local News on Apr. 27, 2011.

Buried Unionville Cemetery, Unionville, Chester Co, PA.

Occupation: Horticulture, dairy, cabinetry.

Education: Forestry, Penn State Univ. 1938.

Religion: Quaker/Presbyterian.

Note: #N2.

Marriage Husband @I1@. Wife @I224@. Marriage [1994] Note: companionship began in Newark DE.

Notes

Note N2. 1

Sources

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/68945819/robert-baker-chambers : accessed 21 November 2021), memorial page for Robert Baker Chambers Jr. (7 Jun 1917–19 Apr 2011), Find a Grave Memorial ID 68945819, citing Unionville Cemetery, Unionville, Chester County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by Jeff Pincin Sr. (contributor 47078578) .