Helen Chamblin died at home on November 21, 2020 with family by her side. She was born on August 24, 1931 in Kennett, Missouri to Judge Henry Broglin and Flora Ethel Broglin. She was blessed with many older brothers and sisters and one younger brother, Henry Broglin, who survives her. She was raised in the country and left the Missouri Bootheel as a teenager, moving in with one of her sisters in St. Louis. While living and working there, she met a young medical student, Stuart A. Chamblin, Jr., who was studying at the St. Louis University School of Medicine. Following his graduation, they married in 1953 in Denver, Colorado. They were married for thirty-six years at the time of his death in 1989.
For the first nineteen years of their marriage, Helen’s husband, Stuart, served as a physician in the United States Army. Their first move was from Denver to San Antonio, where their first daughter, Pat, was born. Following their assignment in San Antonio, they were transferred to San Francisco, where son, Stuart, and second daughter, Jill, were born. Following their assignment in San Francisco, they spent three years in Okinawa, which Helen enjoyed immensely. After Okinawa, they were transferred to Kansas, Maryland, West Germany, and finally San Antonio in 1967. They retired from the military in 1972 and remained in San Antonio where Dr. Chamblin continued in private medical practice until his death.
Helen’s greatest joy and life’s work was loving and caring for her family. Despite all the uncertainty that came with moving frequently, living around the world, and having a father who served in Viet Nam, her children knew that their mother would love and protect them always. Helen also loved her extended family dearly and made everyone around her feel special and well fed. Despite living away from Missouri her entire adult life, she made visiting family a high priority. Family reunions in the Bootheel were always a highlight of her life as were gatherings with nieces and nephews and their families when they were stationed in or visited her in San Antonio.
Helen was blessed with three grandchildren: Natalie, Alex, and David. They were her absolute pride and joy. She showered them with love and made them a priority in her life. She was “Baby Grandma” to the oldest two and “UpUp” to the youngest. She loved and adored them all, and they likewise adored her. Last year, Natalie married Kevin, and he immediately became a much-loved grandson.
Helen loved the Lord since she was a young girl and was a member of the Church of Christ. She found a Church of Christ in each place she lived and made sure her children had a church home. In 1967, MacArthur Park Church of Christ became her church home and remained so until her death. She was involved in many ministries at Mac, which included teaching Sunday School to kindergarteners for many, many years. For years, she spent Tuesday nights at Prime Time, helping cook and serve homemade meals to church members to encourage evangelism. She truly loved working at Prime Time and made very deep friendships with fellow cooks and servers, including many who have preceded her in death. Some very dear church friends survive her: Jean Williamson, Joyce Kirkpatrick, Hazel and Joe Franks, Everett and Vicky Hysten, and Roger and Johanna Davila and their children.
Helen loved to travel. She thoroughly enjoyed living across the country and around the world. After the death of her husband, she began traveling with her daughter Pat, and they visited fifty states and all seven continents, some more than once. She lived a good, full life. Helen was able to enjoy many years of good health because of her love of daily jogging and water aerobics as well as healthy eating. She could not have loved life and her family any more than she did. Even in her last week, she was looking forward to the next family gathering.
Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Stuart A. Chamblin, Jr., her parents, Judge and Flora Broglin, and by brothers and sisters: Walter Broglin, Savannah Barrett, Vernon “Jack” Broglin, Ora B Terry, Ballard Jaques, Mildred “Micki” Montgomery, Alfred Jaques, and a number of siblings who died as infants before Helen was born.
Survivors include her children, Patricia Chamblin of Beaumont, Texas, Stuart A. Chamblin, III and his wife, Nancy, of Memphis, Tennessee, and Jill Weston of San Antonio; her grandchildren Natalie Chamblin Garinger and husband, Kevin, of Austin, Texas, Stuart A. (Alex) Chamblin, IV of Memphis, Tennessee, and David C. Weston of San Antonio; her beloved brother and sister-in-law, Henry and Nellie Broglin, of White Oak, Missouri; and many nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren.
The family wishes to thank Maria Follett, who cared for our beloved mother and grandmother for many years and became her dear friend. In addition, we thank the wonderful doctors who cared for her for many years including Dr. Charles Biediger, Dr. Carmen Cawley, Dr. John Gresham, Dr. David Marks, Dr. Matthias Simon, and Dr. Robert Zajac.
A Private Family Committal Service will be held at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Christian School at Castle Hills, CHS Development, 2216 NW Military Hwy, Castle Hills, TX 78213, www.castlehills.school/donate, or the charity of your choice.
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