Harrington, DE – Wilma Chambers, 76, died Feb. 6, 2021, at her home in Harrington, Del.

Mrs. Chambers was born in Maitland, Nova Scotia, to Jean and Malcolm McNeil on July 10, 1944. She adored her parents and her siblings, Lorraine, Archie, and Stephen, as well as their spouses and children.

Growing up in Sackville, Nova Scotia, she made many lifelong friends, including her husband Paul whom she married in 1964. Wilma and Paul moved to Carroll’s Corner, Nova Scotia, in 1970 where they owned a farm that became the hub for family gatherings. Wilma became Paul’s partner in the racing stable, in addition to being a devoted wife and mother.

Wilma Chambers, 1944-2021. 

They moved to the USA in 1978 to train and race Standardbreds on the Grand Circuit. Wilma and Paul chose to spend winters in North Carolina and summers in New York. North Carolina is where their four children, Shelley, Leigh Anne, Colleen, and Stuart graduated from high school and university. Wilma and Paul moved to Virginia in 1990 and then to Delaware in 2002.

She was proud of her children and supported each of their unique passions. She loved watching Stuart play sports and later coach his own sons. She loved spending time with Stuart and his wife, Megan, and their sons, Caden, Drew, and Nash.

She enjoyed cheering on Colleen in her harness racing and equestrian events. Leigh Anne’s art shows were some of her most coveted activities. She enjoyed visiting Shelley in Wilmington, N.C., especially if she was there with her sister Lorraine and brother in-law Bill or her grandsons.

She loved adventures and racing horses with Paul. Wilma and Paul retired in 2017 due to the progression of her memory loss, throughout which Paul was a steady and devoted caregiver.

The pride of their stable was the 2005 O’Brien Older Trotting Horse of the Year JM Vangogh. He was also nicknamed “The Comeback Kid” for his remarkable comeback from an accident at age 2 in an Ontario Sire Stakes Gold final. His career accomplishments include a record of 1:52.4 in 206 starts with 65 wins, 33 seconds, 22 thirds and career earnings of $1,957,961.

Paul and Wilma purchased him with partner John Mello as a yearling for only $4,500. They broke him as a yearling and trained him in the U.S. and then he went to Ron Waples for his Ontario stakes in the summers. JM Vangogh raced successfully through age 10 and continues to live a wonderful retirement in a pasture behind their house in Harrington. JM Vangogh and Wilma had a special bond.

They had hundreds of other wonderful racehorses who went through their family stable and several stakes champions.

Mrs. Chambers always intently followed her brother’s (Archie McNeil) successful racing stable with pride.

We are beyond grateful for our truly kind, feisty, and generous mother.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s association, act.alz.org/donate or the Duke Eye Center Research Fund, www.gifts.duke.edu/dukeeye.

Condolences and memories may be left at:
https://www.forevermissed.com/wilma-chambers/about