Nancy (Cummings) Chamberlin, 88, passed away from Alzheimer’s on February 11, 2019 in Norwich, CT where she was being cared for by her daughter, Martie.

She was born on December 22, 1930, daughter of Maurice and Ruth Cummings and spent her early years in Amherst, Massachusetts.  The family moved to Loudon, NH and she graduated from Concord High School, NH.

She was working as a secretary at The Fish and Game Department of NH when she met her sweetheart, Bob (Robert B.) Chamberlin.  They married in Amherst, MA in 1948 and raised 4 children in Pennsylvania.

Teaching children was her passion and delight. She was a preschool teacher in Wayne, PA, Bristol, NH and at First Start Children’s Center in Concord, NH. Additionally, she loved the natural world.  She completed her degree in Early Child Education at Franconia College in NH in her forties and then created a nature preschool summer day camp in Concord to help children appreciate and experience the beauty and build a reverence for nature  She was a foster mother. She operated a temporary daycare at a national conference.

She was creative with recycling things in her daycares far before recycling was popularized. She experimented with many craft and art activities, concentrating in oil and watercolor painting later in life. Gardening was a lifelong hobby and she created a garden at each of her homes.

She stayed in contact with extended family members, visiting many in trips to their houses and beyond.  She made friends easily of all ages and many became lifelong.

Nance was predeceased by her husband of 59 years, Robert Chamberlin, her brother Peter Cummings, Michael Kronig, and her son-in-law Bill Killen.

She is survived by her children Susan Chamberlin and husband Dave Wilbur, Doug Chamberlin and wife Barbara Lehn, Scott Chamberlin and wife Karen Benjamin, Martie Alexander and husband John, sister-in-law Bonnie Cummings and her family. She is survived by 6 grandchildren: Nate Kayhoe, Andrew Chamberlin, Greg Miller, Scott Chamberlin and wife Theresa O’Connell, Cliff Chamberlin, Rebecca Miller and fiancé Lowell  White. She also leaves behind Kathy Johnson and her son David Kronig whom Nance considered family members.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, June 22, 2019 at 2pm at First Baptist Church, 434 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA.

Burial will be later in June at North Branch Cemetery in Middlesex, VT.

The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made in Nance’s memory to a charity of your choice which helps children.