David S. Chamberlain ’52

David S. Chamberlain ’52, Ph.D., of Vero Beach, Florida, passed away on January 7, 2015. David was born in Boston and attended Brown & Nichols prep school in Boston. He received his degree in English at Dartmouth, where he participated in crew and was a member of the Theta Delta Chi. David was awarded a James B. Reynolds Scholarship for foreign study, enrolled at Oxford University in England and received his M.A. in English in 1954. While on a steamship to England he met his future wife, Ytsjelisck Witeveen, and they married two years later. David enrolled in the U.S. Navy after Oxford and served two years as a navigation officer during the Korean War. Following military service David began further graduate work at Princeton University and received his Ph.D. in medieval literature. In 1962, while still writing up his dissertation, David accepted a position as an assistant professor in the English department at the University of Iowa and, in 1975, he became a full professor of English at the university. In 1997 he retired after a 38-year career of teaching and research into medieval literature. After retiring David and Ytsjelisck moved to Florida, settling in Vero Beach. His wife of 60 years survives him, as do children Arjen, Stanley, Gregory, Austin, Willa and Iowa and their families, including 13 grandchildren. His brothers Everett ’50 and William also survive him. David’s father, Stanley, and his uncle, George, were both class of 1925.


Portfolio

Book cover Original Sin with photo of hands over face
Alumni Books
New titles from Dartmouth writers (July/August 2025)
Woman posing with art sculpture
Inspiration in the Adirondacks
Artist Catherine Ross Haskins ’94 transforms an old grain mill into a vibrant arts hub.
Comeback Story

Alumni first returned to campus for official reunions in 1855.

Illustration of woman in movie theater eating popcorn
Katie Silberman ’09
A screenwriter on storytelling in Hollywood

Recent Issues

July-August 2025

July-August 2025

May-June 2025

May-June 2025

March-April 2025

March-April 2025

January-February 2025

January-February 2025

November-December 2024

November-December 2024

September-October 2024

September-October 2024