Dudley Edwin Chamberlin passed away on October 14 th , 2023 at the age of 94. Dudley was born on May 25 th , 1929 on a farm a few miles east of Parkersburg, Illinois. He was the first-born son of Harold and June (Mitchell) Chamberlin.

Dudley spent his early childhood years with his parents in the western states and returned to the Parkersburg area when he was 6 years old. He went to grade school in the one-room Oak Grove School near the family farm. He went on to graduate from Olney High School in 1948. He would help his parents on the farm until it was sold in the 1970s.

Dudley enlisted in the US Army Air Force in 1948 and did basic training in Wichita Falls, Texas. He then transferred to Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Illinois for training as an airplane engine mechanic. After the Korean War started, Dudley had his tour of duty extended and he was sent to England.

After military service, Dudley returned to Olney and married Betty L Herman on November 5,1954 at the St Joseph Church. They were blessed with three sons and one daughter, Doug (Robin), Neil (Patty), Glen and Janet.

Dudley is survived by his wife Betty, all his children, brother Jerry (Carol), four grandchildren Jeff, Luke (Keri), Lisa, Bradley (Allison), five great grandchildren (Liam, Emily, Charlotte, Henry, Lily), nephews and cousins.

Dudley was preceded in death by his parents and sister Cecyle Stacey.

Dudley went to work for the General Telephone Company (GTE/Verizon) in 1953. At GTE, Dudley worked in the warehouse, maintained telephone equipment, worked on the line crew, installed telephones and then worked in the switching office until he retired in 1991. Dudley received awards for a couple patented devices he created while working at GTE.

Dudley was an inventive mechanic and electrician. People admired his ingenious creations such as an automatic-opening electric-motor-powered dog door, and garage door opener with dial telephone security key. With endless patience and fortitude, there were few things mechanical or electrical that he couldn’t fix. Dudley helped many people with fixing their cars, motorcycles and lawn mowers. He passed on his knowledge and skills so his kids and grandkids became successful inventors and problem-solvers.

Dudley enjoyed traveling and really loved riding motorcycles! He called them his low flying airplane, which he would ride most evenings and many weekends. He built his first Whizzer motorbike in the 1940s by putting an engine on a bicycle and later took the motor off to make Doug’s first bike. He rode numerous bikes over the years including Harley, Triumph, BMW, Yamaha and several Honda Goldwing motorcycles. Dudley and Betty took their family on many trips and vacations. Dudley and Betty visited all the lower 48 states and parts of Canada on motorcycles.

Dudley enjoyed playing dominoes and cards with family and friends, attending old-time farm machinery shows, reading about and looking at trains and airplanes, reminiscing about the past, and attending the coffee gangs at McDonalds and Burger King after he retired. He enjoyed listening to instrumental music and shows, especially Chet Atkinson and Lawrence Welk.

Dudley was a faithful food provider to the neighborhood bird and squirrel community and enjoyed their antics and company. Dudley was a kind soul, a calming influence for a rambunctious family, a ready-to-help person, and a caring and loving husband, father and grandfather.

The visitation will be at the Kistler-Patterson Funeral Home in Olney Illinois from 4:00pm to 6:00 pm on Wednesday October 18th . The funeral mass will be at the St Joseph Church in Olney at 10:00 am on Thursday October 19th .

Burial will be in the Crest Haven Memorial Park east of Olney on Route 50. The family asks that any gifts or tributes be made to the St Joseph School Building

Kistler-Patterson Funeral Home, Olney, IL