"Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you: Jesus Christ and the American Soldier...One died for our soul, the other for our freedom."
~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~
Richard Robert Chamberlin, RMCS, USCG, Retired, 61, of 108 Chamberlin Lane, Currituck, NC died Wednesday, September 26, 2012, at Albemarle Hospital. Mr. Chamberlin was born in Kissimmee, FL, the son of the late Robert Howard Chamberlin and Viola Mae Schatzman Chamberlin and was the husband of Shelley Tustin Chamberlin of the residence. He was retired from the United States Coast Guard following twenty four years of honorable service and had currently worked for East Carolina Radio and Dixie 105.7. He was a member of the American Legion Post # 288 of Coinjock. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his grandson, Micah W. Chamberlin.
~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~
RADIO PERSONALITY
"RICK" CHAMBERLIN
PASSES AWAY
By Sam Walker on September 27, 2012
Rick Chamberlin, “The Senior Chief,” afternoon drive personality at WRSF-FM Dixie 105.7, died Wednesday from complications of a massive stroke suffered last week. He was 61.
Chamberlin’s distinctive, smooth voice, and seemingly unlimited knowledge of country music garnered him a large fan base across northeastern North Carolina, and much deserved respect and admiration from his colleagues in the local radio industry.
His favorite artist without question was George Jones.
Chamberlin started his radio career in 1967 in Florida at WFIV-AM in his hometown of Kissimmee.
He followed that with stints at WJPB-AM Kissimmee, WHBO-AM Tampa, and then WHOO-AM Orlando, which at the time was the premier country station in central Florida.
In 1970, Chamberlin enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard, and served for 24 years before retiring as a Senior Chief Petty Officer.
He then returned to radio at WCNC-AM in Elizabeth City, before moving over to WKJX-FM Elizabeth City, and in 1996 joined the staff at WRSF-FM Nags Head.
He was also an active member of American Legion Post 288 in Coinjock.
He is survived by his wife Shelley, three daughters, three sons, and eleven grandchildren.
♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥
COUNTRY FANS MOURN PASSING
OF "THE CHIEF"
Coast Guard Senior Chief Petty Officer (Retired) Rick Chamberlin.
BY NEEL KELLER | SENTINEL STAFF | PostedOct 3, 2012
His deep, soothing voice – heard every afternoon on the Outer Banks from 3 to 7 on WRSF-FM Dixie 105.7 – was described by one fan as "comfort food for the ears." Radio host Rick "Senior Chief" Chamberlin, 61, died on Sept. 26 from complications resulting from a stroke suffered a week earlier.
Born in Kissimmee, FL, Chamberlin said in his blog on the WRSF website that he had always loved country music. "From the time that I was 12 years old, my favorite country artists were George Jones, Patsy Cline, Faron Young and Connie Smith," he recalled. "In 1966 I was working for the Silver Spurs Rodeo in Kissimmee, Florida. I had the opportunity to meet Dottie West, who was putting on a show there. I knew from that moment that I wanted to be part of country music."
He got his chance the following year when, at the age of 17, he got a job sweeping the floors and taking out the trash at WFIV-AM 1080. The station's program director asked him one day, "Hey kid, how would you like to do Saturday afternoons?" His enthusiastic "Yes" launched a radio career that led him to WJPB-AM in Kissimmee, WHBO-AM in Tampa and WHOO-AM in Orlando.
Enlisting in the United States Coast Guard in 1970 for "what was supposed to be a four-year tour," Chamberlin ended up serving 24 years, retiring with the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer.
Deciding to return to his "first love" – country music – Chamberlin signed on at WCNC-AM 1240 and then WKJX-FM Kix Country 96.7, both in Elizabeth City. In 1996 he was invited to "join the crew at Dixie 105.7," Chamberlin wrote, "and I have enjoyed every minute of it since then."
Chamberlin and his wife Shelley, a professional wedding and portrait photographer, moved with their beloved Dalmatian, Kacy, to Currituck. They have six adult children and eight grandchildren. He was also an active member of American Legion Post # 288 in Coinjock.
"Rick was one of those guys that everybody liked," fellow Dixie 105.7 broadcaster Ray Turner told the Sentinel. "He had a wealth of knowledge about classic country like no one else I've ever known – and he truly loved the music. His favorite had to be George Jones."
Well known for his daily "Senior Chief's Classic Country Spotlight," Chamberlin also had a passion for radio, according to Turner: "He would come home from talking on the radio and talk some more on his ham radio every night – with his brother in Florida, listeners, people he knew all across the country."
Chamberlin was known as "the voice of Dixie," Turner said. "He had the most recognizable voice on radio."
Chamberlin also looked like a country music fan – well known everywhere he went for his signature cowboy boots, blazer and jeans.
"He was genuinely fond of the listeners," Turner added. "And he would do anything for them. If there was a need, he would give them anything he had access to.
"Probably the thing about Rick that endeared him the most to people was that he was a great conversationalist. I've never known anyone that could talk like he did. If you weren't his friend when you started talking with him on the phone, you would be by the time you got off the phone."
Funeral services were held on Sept. 30 at Twiford Memorial Chapel in Elizabeth City, followed by burial in Laurel Memorial Gardens in Poplar Branch and a gathering of family and friends at American Legion Post # 288.
"We've had tons of calls and emails," said Turner. "This has had a pretty big impact on our listeners and all of us. Rick has a special place in our hearts and he will be missed.
~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~
"Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you: Jesus Christ and the American Soldier...One died for our soul, the other for our freedom."
~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~
Richard Robert Chamberlin, RMCS, USCG, Retired, 61, of 108 Chamberlin Lane, Currituck, NC died Wednesday, September 26, 2012, at Albemarle Hospital. Mr. Chamberlin was born in Kissimmee, FL, the son of the late Robert Howard Chamberlin and Viola Mae Schatzman Chamberlin and was the husband of Shelley Tustin Chamberlin of the residence. He was retired from the United States Coast Guard following twenty four years of honorable service and had currently worked for East Carolina Radio and Dixie 105.7. He was a member of the American Legion Post # 288 of Coinjock. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his grandson, Micah W. Chamberlin.
~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~
RADIO PERSONALITY
"RICK" CHAMBERLIN
PASSES AWAY
By Sam Walker on September 27, 2012
Rick Chamberlin, “The Senior Chief,” afternoon drive personality at WRSF-FM Dixie 105.7, died Wednesday from complications of a massive stroke suffered last week. He was 61.
Chamberlin’s distinctive, smooth voice, and seemingly unlimited knowledge of country music garnered him a large fan base across northeastern North Carolina, and much deserved respect and admiration from his colleagues in the local radio industry.
His favorite artist without question was George Jones.
Chamberlin started his radio career in 1967 in Florida at WFIV-AM in his hometown of Kissimmee.
He followed that with stints at WJPB-AM Kissimmee, WHBO-AM Tampa, and then WHOO-AM Orlando, which at the time was the premier country station in central Florida.
In 1970, Chamberlin enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard, and served for 24 years before retiring as a Senior Chief Petty Officer.
He then returned to radio at WCNC-AM in Elizabeth City, before moving over to WKJX-FM Elizabeth City, and in 1996 joined the staff at WRSF-FM Nags Head.
He was also an active member of American Legion Post 288 in Coinjock.
He is survived by his wife Shelley, three daughters, three sons, and eleven grandchildren.
♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥
COUNTRY FANS MOURN PASSING
OF "THE CHIEF"
Coast Guard Senior Chief Petty Officer (Retired) Rick Chamberlin.
BY NEEL KELLER | SENTINEL STAFF | PostedOct 3, 2012
His deep, soothing voice – heard every afternoon on the Outer Banks from 3 to 7 on WRSF-FM Dixie 105.7 – was described by one fan as "comfort food for the ears." Radio host Rick "Senior Chief" Chamberlin, 61, died on Sept. 26 from complications resulting from a stroke suffered a week earlier.
Born in Kissimmee, FL, Chamberlin said in his blog on the WRSF website that he had always loved country music. "From the time that I was 12 years old, my favorite country artists were George Jones, Patsy Cline, Faron Young and Connie Smith," he recalled. "In 1966 I was working for the Silver Spurs Rodeo in Kissimmee, Florida. I had the opportunity to meet Dottie West, who was putting on a show there. I knew from that moment that I wanted to be part of country music."
He got his chance the following year when, at the age of 17, he got a job sweeping the floors and taking out the trash at WFIV-AM 1080. The station's program director asked him one day, "Hey kid, how would you like to do Saturday afternoons?" His enthusiastic "Yes" launched a radio career that led him to WJPB-AM in Kissimmee, WHBO-AM in Tampa and WHOO-AM in Orlando.
Enlisting in the United States Coast Guard in 1970 for "what was supposed to be a four-year tour," Chamberlin ended up serving 24 years, retiring with the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer.
Deciding to return to his "first love" – country music – Chamberlin signed on at WCNC-AM 1240 and then WKJX-FM Kix Country 96.7, both in Elizabeth City. In 1996 he was invited to "join the crew at Dixie 105.7," Chamberlin wrote, "and I have enjoyed every minute of it since then."
Chamberlin and his wife Shelley, a professional wedding and portrait photographer, moved with their beloved Dalmatian, Kacy, to Currituck. They have six adult children and eight grandchildren. He was also an active member of American Legion Post # 288 in Coinjock.
"Rick was one of those guys that everybody liked," fellow Dixie 105.7 broadcaster Ray Turner told the Sentinel. "He had a wealth of knowledge about classic country like no one else I've ever known – and he truly loved the music. His favorite had to be George Jones."
Well known for his daily "Senior Chief's Classic Country Spotlight," Chamberlin also had a passion for radio, according to Turner: "He would come home from talking on the radio and talk some more on his ham radio every night – with his brother in Florida, listeners, people he knew all across the country."
Chamberlin was known as "the voice of Dixie," Turner said. "He had the most recognizable voice on radio."
Chamberlin also looked like a country music fan – well known everywhere he went for his signature cowboy boots, blazer and jeans.
"He was genuinely fond of the listeners," Turner added. "And he would do anything for them. If there was a need, he would give them anything he had access to.
"Probably the thing about Rick that endeared him the most to people was that he was a great conversationalist. I've never known anyone that could talk like he did. If you weren't his friend when you started talking with him on the phone, you would be by the time you got off the phone."
Funeral services were held on Sept. 30 at Twiford Memorial Chapel in Elizabeth City, followed by burial in Laurel Memorial Gardens in Poplar Branch and a gathering of family and friends at American Legion Post # 288.
"We've had tons of calls and emails," said Turner. "This has had a pretty big impact on our listeners and all of us. Rick has a special place in our hearts and he will be missed.
~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~
