Paul Hoffman Chamberlain

1923 - 2010

Paul Hofmann Chamberlain
2/17/1923


Paul Hofmann Chamberlain, born February 17, 1923, passed away peacefully at home on April 27, 2010 with his son, Paul H. Chamberlain, Jr., daughter, Suzanne Chamberlain Leonoudakis, and wife, Nonda K. Chamberlain, by his side. He had suffered a severe stroke at home a week prior.
Paul, a native Californian, was the younger son of lawyer, horseman, and cattle rancher, T.L. Chamberlain, Sr., whose descendants came to the West in covered wagons from the Midwest to settle in Lincoln, California and begin their family rice farm in the 1850's.
His grandfather, Lee Chamberlain, started a law practice in 1888, now Chamberlain, Chamberlain and Baldo, which is currently one of the two oldest, continuously running law firms in the State of California. The original law office where Lee Chamberlain and T.L. "Lou" Chamberlain, first worked is still standing today below the Historic Auburn Courthouse. Paul and his brother, Ted, and Ted's wife, Helen (both now deceased) all worked diligently in the restoration of the Historic Auburn Courthouse for many years.
Paul graduated from Placer Joint Union High School in 1941, and before completing his BA in Economics from UC Berkeley in 1947, he served in the U.S. Army Air Force as a Captain during World War II flying heavy equipment in multi-engine planes from Burma over "the hump" to Cairo. He received his law degree from UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco in 1951.
Dad loved the practice of law. Every weekday, as well as half a day on Saturdays, he headed off to his desk at Chamberlain, Chamberlain and Baldo in order to help others, and in so doing he carried on a part of California (and Chamberlain family) history - to continue one of the longest running law practices, now in its 122nd year, while maintaining an A.V. rating by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest peer rated level achievable.
He also enjoyed the years he spent in his community serving as president of the Placer County Bar Association; Chairman of the Placer County Law Library Board of Trustees; devoted Rotarian for over 50 years, and helping the Boy Scouts of America.
We will miss our father and husband dearly. As taken from an Irish poet:
"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal."
Near the end of his life there were some significant people whom the family is very grateful for: his secretary, Jenny Palmer, who helped in getting him to his doctor appointments; Sherri Hughes, home health care CNA, and the numerous professionals at both Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital and Siena Care Center, who all helped in getting him home for his final hours.
Paul is survived by his wife of 62 years, Nonda Chamberlain; their son, Paul H. Chamberlain, Jr., daughter-in-law, Kelly Chamberlain, grandson, Theodore Chamberlain, III, all of La Canada/Flintridge, California; their daughter, Suzanne Chamberlain Leonoudakis, son-in-law, Tim Leonoudakis, granddaughter, Kaly Leonoudakis, and grandson, Cory Leonoudakis, all of San Rafael, California.
A wake and Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, June 5, 2010 at the Auburn Tahoe Club at 3 p.m., located at 902 Lincoln Way in Auburn.
We would love to see you and request that you please call or email to let us know if you will be stopping by, (530) 885-4523 or ccblaw@sbcglobal.net
In lieu of flowers, donations would be appreciated to the Auburn Downtown Rotary Club for their Scholarship Program, c/o W.E. (Bill) Jansen, 251 N. McDaniel Drive, Auburn, CA 95603, telephone 530-885-9587.