Roswell "Web" Webster Chamberlin - Obituary

t is with sadness that we announce the passing of Roswell Webster Chamberlin, a true son of Maryland. Web was born on January 18th, 1931 in Baltimore and he passed away peacefully on August 22, 2026 at his place of residence in Annapolis. Through his remarkable 95 years, Web believed deeply in family, faith, good health, and giving his time and energy to others. He built his life around those things, touching countless lives with his enduring decency and boundless energy. Web, the second son of Elenora and George Chamberlin graduated City College High School of Baltimore in 1949. In the Fall of 1949, he was enrolled at the University of Maryland where he played lacrosse, was a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity and participated in a number of musical groups before graduating with a B.A. in Business Administration in 1953. Upon graduation he was drafted into the United States Army and completed basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina in preparation for the Korean War. During the War he was stationed in Europe and was discharged from duty in January 1956. Returning to Maryland, Web met the love of his life, Elizabeth Mezey in 1957 at University of Maryland where Beth was a student and Web was a graduate assistant coach for the Terrapin lacrosse team. They were married on August 1st, 1959 in Manhasset, NY and were together for 55 years until Beth’s passing in 2014. In 1957, Web accepted a job in the management training program with C&P Telephone in Washington, D.C.. Web worked with C&P Telephone, later part of Bell Atlantic, for more than 36 years in public relations, government affairs, and ultimately as the spokesperson for the company before retiring in 1992. Part of his role and his responsibility at C&P was to be very active in the community and it helped to establish a life long love of community service and volunteering. Among his countless service milestones in Washington, he served on three United States Presidential Inauguration committees, he was the Cherry Blossom Festival Director, President of the Washington Advertising Club, a Board Member of the Washington Board of Trade, and a founding member of the Washington Lacrosse Club. Web’s commitment to service and community only deepened after he and Beth purchased a summer cottage in Sherwood Forest in 1962. They eventually made the Annapolis area their permanent home in 1980, settling along the Severn River in Arnold. Over the decades that followed, Web became deeply involved in the community he loved. He served on the boards of the Sherwood Forest Club, Severn School, the Annapolis Striders, St. John’s College, First Night Annapolis, the Annapolis Symphony, and the New Annapolitans, and for many years coached youth lacrosse. Perhaps closest to Web and Beth’s hearts was their more than 30 years as a sponsor family for midshipmen and their families at the U.S. Naval Academy. During that time they opened their home and their lives to more than 80 Middies, becoming surrogate parents, trusted friends, and a home away from home for generations of young men and women. Web was also a longtime member of St. Margaret’s Church in Annapolis, where he and Beth generously gave their time and remained active in the church community for many years. Annapolis was more than a place Web called home; it became part of who he was, leaving an imprint on his character that lasted a lifetime. He would raise his family on the shores of the Severn River, and Web and Beth became part owners and operators of City Dock Cafe in downtown Annapolis for many years. There was rarely a day where Web wasn’t at the Cafe, walking around town, meeting with other business owners and being an ambassador for the city. Even into his 90s, Web volunteered at the Annapolis Visitors Bureau, helping tourists navigate downtown and sharing his love of the city. Web’s story is not complete without mentioning how active he was and how important health and wellness was in his life. Specifically, Web will be remembered for his love of running. He took up the sport in the 1970’s and he ran well into his mid 80’s. He ran more than 30 marathons all over the World, competed in more 30 Annapolis Ten Milers, 35 half marathons, and over 100 10 and 5k’s, often winning his age group in many of those races. When he stopped running he still participated in multiple walking groups around Annapolis all the way up to his passing. He never slowed down. There was never a truer representation of Maryland than Web Chamberlin, right down to his rich Baltimore accent, the summer job in his teens at the historic Gunther brewery, his love of picking crabs and devotion to all things Maryland Terps. Web is survived by his son Christopher (Heidi) of Millersville, MD, son, David (Kathleen) of Harwood, MD, son, Michael (Terra) of San Anselmo, CA and daughter, Amy (George) of Sheffield, England and his eight beloved grandchildren, Claire, Ian, Emma, Charlotte, Julia, Fiona, Ellis and Sean. The funeral service will be held at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, 1601 Pleasant Plains Rd., Annapolis, MD 21409 on Saturday, November 7th, 2026 at 11 AM. The family invites all who knew Web to attend and share their love of this truly remarkable man.