Roger Trout Obituary, death – Roger John Chamlin, 82, died October 19, 2022. Roger died at home with his family. He died grateful, compassionate, and witty. Saturday, October 29, 2022, at 11 a.m. at First Congregational Church of LaSalle, 502 Joliet Street, LaSalle, IL. Buried in LaSalle’s Oakwood Cemetery. Friday, October 28 from 4-7pm at Hurst Funeral Home, 650 Fifth Street, LaSalle. Additional visiting is Saturday from 10 am till services. Casimir and Josephine Chamlin had Mr. Chamlin on May 30, 1940. His early life was spent in Akron, Ohio, where his father designed the Goodyear Corsair. This prompted a lifetime interest in engineering, aviation, and flight.
Mr. Chamlin attended Peru Grade School and LaSalle Peru Township High School, where he was Vice-President of the class of ’58 and captained the track and swimming teams.
After graduating, Mr. Chamlin studied architecture at the University of Illinois and joined Phi Gamma Delta. He studied civil engineering at Marquette. Mr. Chamlin married his undergraduate sweetheart, Anida Miller, on November 16, 1963. They have four children. Roger and his family relocated back to Peru in 1966, when he joined his father’s engineering firm Chamlin & Associates. He served on the board and as municipal engineer for 50 years. Mr. Chamlin’s legacy includes the Illinois Valley Regional Airport, Morris Municipal Airport, Baker Lake Park, and innumerable roads, bridges, and other municipal works. Mr. Chamlin loved Peru’s infrastructure and growth.
Roger shared his love of engineering by teaching at St. Bede Academy and sponsoring the Junior Engineer Technical Society (JETS). In 1972, he was named Young Engineer of the Year by the Illinois Society of Professional Engineers. While his children attended Peru Public Schools, Mr. Chamlin served on the Peru Grade School Board for 16 years, 14 as president.
Roger served as Secretary/Treasurer of the Grove Subdivision Association for many years and was a member of the Colonial Bank, Citizens Bank, and Heartland Bank’s Community Board. He was LaSalle Peru Jaycees president and got their Distinguished Service Award.
Mr. Chamlin and his wife, Anida, loved adventure and toured all 50 states and seven continents, including the Middle East, Australia, and Antarctica, where they were rescued at sea.
Roger loved hunting and fishing, especially in Trout Lake, Ontario. For 50 years, he took spring and fall fishing trips to Canada with his family. Roger’s humor and selflessness will live on in his loved ones. His wife, Anida; his sister, Roberta “Birdie” (Dan) Higgins; his children, Julie Chamlin of Chicago, Susan (Bill) Rolander of Lake Forest, Sarah Chamlin of Chicago, and Jon Chamlin of Peru; and his five grandchildren, Amelia, Eleanor, William and Roger Rolander, and Evelyn Chamlin.
Casey and Josephine Chamlin, Harold and Irene Miller, and Thatcher predeceased Mr. Chamlin. Gary Gemberling, Thomas Henson, Gerald Hunter, Mike Sitterly, Robert and Joseph Herzog, William and Roger Rolander are pallbearers. Roger’s family will establish an engineering scholarship with memorial donations.
