John Loomis Chamberlain III

Dr. Chamberlain graduated from St. Albans School in Washington in 1949 and Amherst College, Amherst, Mass., in 1953, where he received his A.B. degree with honors in biology. Following his undergraduate work, Dr. Chamberlain enrolled at the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Medicine where he received his Medical Degree in 1957. His four years at UVA marked the beginning of a long commitment to the Medical School. Dr. Chamberlain served as a director of the Medical School’s Advisory Board and became president of its Alumni Association. Additionally, Dr. Chamberlain served on UVA’s Medical School Foundation and on its Admission Committee.

In 1966, Dr. Chamberlain entered private practice in Washington, D.C., then became a sole practitioner in Bethesda, Md., where he was a physician to thousands of young children in the Metropolitan area. In private practice for more than 30 years, Dr. Chamberlain was closely tied to Children’s Hospital National Medical Center, ultimately serving as chairman of the Medical Staff and a member of the faculty of The George Washington University School of Medicine.

Dr. Chamberlain held board positions at St. Patrick’s Episcopal School in Washington, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Potomac, Md., as well as his alma mater St. Albans School, where he later served on the Board of Directors and president of its Alumni Association.

Dr. Chamberlain was a longtime member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, serving as its vice president and member-at-large while concurrently serving as the president of Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital’s Alumni Association in Cooperstown, N.Y. After closing his private practice, Dr. Chamberlain accepted a commission as a colonel with the Army Medical Corps and was stationed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington. One year later, at the outset of Operation Desert Storm in 1990, Dr. Chamberlain volunteered for military service and was assigned a post in Germany to replace medical personnel who were being deployed from Germany to Kuwait. He was awarded his second Commendation Medal upon his retirement from the military in 1992. Dr. Chamberlain’s time in uniform represented three generations of family military service to the country, following his father and grandfather.

In retirement, Dr. Chamberlain maintained an active interest in the Washington community, serving as a member of the Cosmos Club, the Chevy Chase Club, and serving on the board of St. John’s Community Service. For two decades he served as a docent and staff aide at the Washington National Cathedral and was concurrently a member of The American University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) participating in over 150 courses and serving on its Board of Directors.

A thirst for new experiences and learning was a continuous theme during his life. Dr. Chamberlain enjoyed piloting small aircraft, playing tennis, and especially reading biographies.

His first marriage ended in divorce. Dr. Chamberlain is survived by his second wife of 46 years, Marietje Chamberlain of Washington, a brother Heath B. 'Peter' Chamberlain (Sandra) of Vancouver, B.C., three children Carolyn Nazdin (Joel), Allison Basil (Will), and John L. 'Chip' Chamberlain IV (Neusa), two stepsons Ken Reed (Kasia) and Phil Reed (Lori), a host of grandchildren and a great-grandchild.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, March 1 at 10 a.m. at the Washington National Cathedral. A private burial follows the service. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to a charity of your choice.