Darell "Sonny" Chamberlain

Darell “Sonny” Chamberlain, age 70, of Medford, Oregon passed away on May 17, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. at Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford Oregon.

He was born in Medford, Oregon on July 7, 1944. He was the only son of Lon & Hazel Chamberlain.

Sonny graduated from Grants Pass High School in 1962. He worked locally in the Rogue Valley for several years, then moved to Lake Havasu, Arizona, where he worked for the city water department running a backhoe.

In 1974 Sonny moved back to the Rogue Valley to care for his ill sister and her two sons. Sonny also at this time started a pool cleaning service.

Sonny met his wife, Fran in November 1975. The following year on September 4, 1976 they were married. He became the dad of three children, Dee Dee, John and Russ. Then in October of 1977, Sonny & Fran became the proud parents of Larry.

In June of 1978, the family moved to the ranch in Wimer, Oregon, where they raised their four children, and many other local Wimer boys. He taught the boys to be mechanics and enjoyed working and riding motorcycles with them.

Sonny had many hobbies, he loved playing the guitar and sitting around and singing with his family and friends. He liked tinkering with steam engines, alcohol ran motors and loved building with Legos.

Sonny worked for Rogue Aggregate running heavy equipment and a rock crusher where he retired in 2007.

Sonny is preceded in death by his parents Lon & Hazel Chamberlain and a sister, Leigh.

Sonny is survived by his wife, Fran of 38 years; daughter, Diana Ripley and husband Randy; sons, John Boat, Russ Boat and Larry Chamberlain and his fianc, Cassandra.

He has three grandsons, Jesse, Mathew, and Johnie; two granddaughters, Raylene and Tabitha and three great-granddaughters.

He is survived by a brother-in-law, Scott Jones and wife Caroline; sister-in-law, Joyce Painter and husband Larry, many nieces and nephews and many other family loved ones. Sonny will be greatly missed by many.

A celebration of life for Sonny Chamberlain will be at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, May 30, 2015 at Hull & Hull Funeral Directors, 612 NW A Street, Grants Pass, Oregon. A potluck for family and friends will follow at the family home, 13055 E. Evans Creek Road, Rogue River, Oregon.