Bobby John Chamberlain

Bobby John Chamberlain, PhD, 75, passed away August 7, 2022 of dementia compounded by a catastrophic brain injury.  Born in Huntington Park, CA, a suburb of Los Angeles, on October 30, 1946, the first child of Robert Parker Chamberlain and Dorothy (Jones) Chamberlain.  

Bob received all of his college degrees at UCLA, culminating in receiving the California Governor’s award in his field with his doctorate in Brazilian and Spanish Literature and Linguistics.  He was a two time Fulbright Scholar researching in Brazil.

Bob was Professor Emeritus in the Department of Hispanic Languages and Literatures at the University of Pittsburgh.  His research focused on Portuguese language and Brazilian literature, with a concentration on the prose fiction of Brazilian modernism and post modernism and on contemporary literary theory. He published widely in U.S. and Brazilian journals on postmodernism, antropofagia, canon formation, periodization and the role of U.S. Brazilianists.  He taught at the University of Pittsburgh for 33 years before retiring in 2018.  He previously taught at the University of Southern California and Michigan State University.  In addition, he was a guest professor at universities in both Brazil and Portugal.  He also published two dictionaries in (Brazilian) Portuguese.  He considered teaching the greatest privilege because he was able to share his knowledge with students and received knowledge back from them.  

He was known for his sarcastic humor and always ready with a quick smile and a helping hand.  He was an avid genealogist decades before it became popular.  However, his greatest joy in life was his family.  He is survived by wife of 50 years and life co-warrior of 53 years, Katherine/Kay Giercyk Chamberlain, daughter Katherine Perrotti (Matt), grandchildren, Scotlynne and Logan Fennell, Griffin, Brighton and Greenleigh Perrotti, son Robert Parker Chamberlain (Katrina Buches), sister Judith Lynn Baggs (Larry), nephew John Baggs (Veronica), brother Gerald Parker Chamberlain.   He is predeceased by grandson Mitchell Perrotti.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation.

Services will be held at a later date. Arrangements handled privately by David J. Henney Funeral Home, Library, PA. www.davidhenneyfuneralhome.com
 

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