LEWISTON – Merrill E. Chamberlain, 81, a longtime resident of Livermore and most recently of Canton, died Tuesday evening, May 18, at CMMC, where he had been a patient for one week, following a short illness.

Born in Quincy, Mass., Jan. 21, 1923, the son of Donald and Ruth Bryant Chamberlain, he attended the schools of Hartford, Canton and the Army Air Corps, where he received an engineering degree and served five years.

He completed a tour in the Pacific battles as an engineer gunner in seven invasions from New Guinea to Okinawa. He had received the Silver Wings, the Good Conduct Medal, the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Philippine Liberation Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the Victory Medal and the Overseas Service Bar.

On Jan. 21, 1947, he married Ellen M. Lee and they made their home in Livermore and later in Canton.

He worked as an electrical engineer for Pratt and Whitney Co. in Hartford, Conn., and for Control, Inc. in Bristol, Conn., and later was self-employed, retiring in 1984.

He was a private pilot, having built his own ultra-light and was also a helicopter pilot. He was a very wonderful and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was a member of the VFW, Frank L. Mitchell, Post 3335 of Jay.

Survivors include his wife of 57 years of Canton; a son, Bruce E. Chamberlain of Winsted, Conn.; a daughter, Valerie L. and her husband, Jon Arendt of Southbury, Conn.; two brothers, Irving R. Chamberlain of Buckfield and Donald P. Chamberlain of Turner; a sister, Ruth G. Abbott of Arkansas; two half-sisters, Mary Ann White of Livermore Falls and Anna May Mitchell of Livermore; three grandchildren, Teresa Villarouel of Colebrook, Conn., and Beth A. Arendt and Greg S. Arendt, both of Southbury, Conn.; and a great-grandson, Brandin Villarouel.

He was predeceased by a sister, Marguerite C. Varney; and a half-brother, Clair H. Chamberlain.