Alberta Faith (Elliott) Chamberlain

Heaven became a little brighter on November 10, 2012, as Alberta Faith (Elliott) Chamberlain was received into Christ's loving arms. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 1:00 pm, Friday, November 16, 2012 at the First Presbyterian Church, 1142 W. Ivy, Moses Lake. Interment will follow at Pioneer Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be held from noon to 7 pm, Thursday, November 15th at Kayser's Chapel with family greeting friends from 5 to 7 pm. Please sign the online guestbook or leave a note for the family at www.kayserschapel.com. Arrangements are in care of Kayser's Chapel and Crematory.

Alberta was born April 3, 1916, the 5th of 6 children born to Herbert Stephen Elliott and Sara (Beeman) Elliott, on the family farm, in a small farmhouse near Altoona, Kansas. Growing up on that farm with her brothers and one sister, she spent her days doing chores and chasing chickens but especially liked being able to out-run her brothers. She attended elementary school in a one-room schoolhouse in Hatler School District and graduated as valedictorian of her high school class in Altoona. November 7, 1936, she married the love of her life, Marion Larkin Chamberlain, who lived on a neighboring farm. Once asked how she met Marion, she replied, "I suppose I've known him all my life; we met in our Mothers' arms." They were married just over 74 years when Marion passed away in April of 2011.

Soon after they were married the young couple took over the Chamberlain family farm and within the next few years they welcomed into their family, Charlotte Jo (Lee Anderson, deceased), Gayle Anne (Ray Loescher) and Nancy Sara. In the spring of 1944 the family moved to Aberdeen, Idaho where they farmed for the next 10 years and where their three sons, Daryl Lee (died at birth), Marvin Marion (Linda Barnes, deceased) and Rex Dean (Kathy Haring), were born. During their residency in Idaho, Nancy Sara, who had contracted encephalitis in conjunction with a bout of German measles when a toddler, was institutionalized and later died.

In February 1955 the Chamberlains moved to Moses Lake, Washington, where they purchased a little jersey dairy farm on Stratford Road, in Block 40. During Alberta and Marion's stewardship, the dairy became Chamberlain Dairy Incorporated with Alberta serving as accountant and bookkeeper. Her ledgers were both comprehensive financial records and beautifully handed works of art.

Alberta was a member of many clubs and organizations. She held several different positions in the Moses Lake Garden Club, Block 40 Garden Club and Gloydettes, NFO Wives, Grant Count Dairy Wives, and was active in the Moses Lake Presbyterian Church. In the summers she gardened; in the winters she quilted. In every season, at some "spare" moments during her busy days Alberta would be at her piano playing hymns and other "old favorites" infusing peace throughout the house.

Often you would find Alberta and Marion playing Pinochle or Aggravation with friends and going on Sunday drives after church for a little relaxation. However, their favorite thing to do was to spend time with their family which now includes-in addition to their 4 children - 18 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild. All holidays were spent together with most of the family in attendance on the farm. Always one to set a beautiful laden table, Alberta made sure there was plenty of food for everyone including anyone else who might drop by. All of us loved her sense of humor. For example, when one of the grandkids would ask for a treat her response often was, "Only if you think you need it." They always did.

Appropriately named Alberta Faith, she always led by example. Her deep faith in Jesus Christ, ability to forgive, silent strength in times of diversity and strong belief that people were inherently good, carried her through many difficult times in her life. Her family was always her first priority and she made sure we all knew family was most important after God. She was a leading example on how people should respond when not being treated kindly. If someone treated her unjustly, she was often heard responding, "Maybe they're just having a bad day." Her ability to forgive and her unending love for her family and friends was felt by everyone who came into contact with Alberta.

She will be greatly missed and loved for all eternity.