Jean Chamberlin

Jean (Zink) Chamberlin, 86, died Wednesday, March 30, 2011 following a lengthy illness. She was the devoted wife of Stephen J. Chamberlin, with whom she shared fifty-four years of marriage. Born in Cincinnati, OH on March 10, 1925, she was the daughter of the late Ernest and Ida Belle (Downey) Zink. She was raised and educated in Cincinnati and was a graduate of the University of Cincinnati. A longtime Topsfield resident, Mrs. Chamberlin was an accomplished local artist and a member of the Lynnfield Art Guild. Jean's lifelong artistic journey wound through many media, artforms and styles. During her metal sculpture period, she would fashion works from jet engine bits and pieces, in a style much like the "steampunk" movement of today. Her stained glass works ranged in style from renaissance imagery and storytelling to art deco. Her prints were inspired by everything from japanese wood block prints of the eighteenth century to the abstract expressionists of the twentieth century. Even as she explored various media, her passion lay in painting. While she was a woman of few words, and spoke plainly, her paintings communicated thoughts and feelings that could not be expressed in spoken or written language. Her paint palette was her voice. As she evolved through her 75 year artistic journey, her colors and textures became more experimental, bolder and more abstract. She developed a way of painting that was truly unique to her, and through the large collection of artworks that she leaves behind, she will continue to communicate through color and form to generations of family yet to come. Jean's family was the center of her existence. Decades of happy summer memories were made at "Maine Camp", on the shores of Great East Lake in Acton Maine. As her family grew to include sons- and daughter-in-law, and grand children, family gatherings at the lake grew to be something everyone looked forward to during the year. Maine Camp because the hub of the universe for the Chamberlin Clan, with Gramma surveying the action, and reminding the grandchildren to be careful not to poke their eyes out. When she wasn't in Maine, Jean was a member of the Congregational Church of Topsfield and New Meadows Garden Club, she also volunteered her time with the Boy and Girl Scouts and the Topsfield Town Library In addition to her husband, she leaves two daughters, Jean Theurkauf and her husband Bill of Sterling, and Carol Orr and her husband Robert of New Haven, CT, her son, Stephen Chamberlin and his wife Carol of North Andover, her sister Carol Mann and her husband Robert of Florida, eight grandchildren, Sarah and Annie Theurkauf, Cathy and Scott Chamberlin, and William, Amos, Maggie, and Charlie Orr, and several nieces. She was predeceased by her two sisters, Frances Stephey and Margaret Phelps. She also leaves the wonderful staff of the Atrium in Danvers who cared so well for her in her last years. As requested, funeral services will be private and there are no visiting hours. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jean’s name may be made to the "Jean Chamberlin Memorial Scholarship Fund", Leominster Credit Union, 7 Main St, Sterling MA 01564. Donations will be used to assist the employees at the Atrium and their children with educational expenses.