Charles Chamberlain

Charles Wolff Chamberlain (Charlie), 77, died peacefully on September 20, 2021 following a year-long battle with pancreatic and liver cancer that concluded with a stroke.

Charlie was born in Lynn, MA on December 1, 1943 to Doris (Wolff) and Harvey Chamberlain. He grew up in Marblehead, MA, then attended high school at Hebron Academy in Hebron, ME. He went on to study architecture at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). As part of the 1970s “back to the land” movement, Charlie moved to midcoast Maine and married Janet Halsey in 1972. While living in an Army tent for year, they built their own home in Lincolnville where they lived before moving to Camden in 1988. Charlie worked for local businesses, including Vision Builders. He went on to become a self-employed residential designer who brought joy to numerous families through translating what each thought of as home into the physical manifestation of that dream. He also enjoyed working on projects such as Camp Kieve in Nobleboro, Maine, and the addition of a balcony to Camden’s Congregational Church.

Charlie was a devoted father from the day his daughter Addie came into his life through adoption in 1978. He enthusiastically read to her before bed every night even into high school, was an overzealous cheerer at her field hockey games and ski meets, helped with numerous projects around her first house, and was always available to dispense hugs and truly listen. Addie will forever associate the smell of sawdust with her dear Poppie.

In 2003 he married his love, Christine Harland Chamberlain. They lived an incredible twenty years together between their homes in Brunswick and Marblehead, MA. They built Camden Writers, a successful business specializing in oral histories, and that work provided exceptional meaning to Charlie and enabled them to travel the world to collect stories.

Charlie was an avid sailor. He grew up in the Marblehead sailing community, and that stayed with him for life. He liked nothing better than to be enjoying a breezy day on Penobscot Bay aboard his 36’ Morris, Halcyon, with the rail in the water and a rum awaiting him at cocktail hour. He was also a master fly fisherman and was known to occasionally throw roadkill in the back of his truck (much to Addie’s horror) in order to use the fur or feather in the flies he would tie. He was a marvelous dancer and could lead anyone around the floor, no matter their skills. This, coupled with his charming personality, made him the best of party guests. He used to be an enthusiastic member of a local barbershop quartet and participated in many local theater productions. Charlie was also a passionate and dedicated Board Member at The Riley School in Rockport.

Charlie is survived by his loving wife, Christine Harland Chamberlain of Brunswick, ME; his daughter Adria “Addie” Chamberlain, her husband David Goldstein, and his grandson Sam Goldstein, of Medford, MA; his brother John Chamberlain and John’s wife Nancy, of Reading, MA; his former wife, Janet Halsey, of Camden, ME; and several cousins, including Peter and Mimi Chamberlain of Rockport, ME, and Judy Chamberlain and Karen Marlin of Brunswick, ME. He also cherished his beloved canine companion, Grace.

In lieu of flowers, Charlie would have welcomed donations in his memory to The Riley School (P.O. Box 159, Rockport, Maine 04856 or rileyschool.org/support), which was very dear to his heart and to which he dedicated much time and treasure. A celebration of Charlie’s life will be held this fall in Rockport, ME and Boston, MA.