Obituary of Nira Chambliss

Nira Ann Chambliss (nee Porter), aged 70, died 15 July 2019 in Brooktondale, Tompkins County, New York. She was born at White Cross Hospital in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio, 11 March 1949, daughter of James Joseph and Marjorie Ruth (Wood) Porter.  She is survived by her husband, Cian Sturdy Chambliss, whom she married at Brooktondale, Tompkins County, New York 26 June 1999; her son, Nicholas Michael Gasbarro, his wife, Kelly Sparks, and their daughter, Charley Mae Gasbarro all of Columbus; her daughter, Jamie Nicole Gasbarro of Baltimore, Maryland. She is also survived by her brother, James Leslie and his wife, Lisa Ann (Pastore) Porter of Crystal River, Florida; a nephew, son of James: Zachary James of Crystal River, Florida;  two nieces, daughters of Patrick: Katrina Porter of Mesa, Arizona, and Deirdre Porter of Ohio; two great nephews, sons of Deirdre: D. J. Stocker and Preston Taylor Stocker, both of West Virginia; two great-nieces, daughters of Deirdre Porter: Paige Jamison Porter of West Virginia, and Noelle Louise Porter of Columbus.  She was preceded in death by her father on 01 January 1977 in Columbus, her mother on 07 January 2007 in Ithaca NY, her brother, Patrick Woodrow James Porter on 01 October 2003 in Westerville OH, and her nephew Johnathan Patrick Porter, son of Patrick, on 30 December 2004 in Columbus.  Nira attended Sacred Heart school 1st and 2nd grades, then Holy Name school 3rd through 8th grades. She graduated from Bishop Watterson High School in June 1967. She attended Ohio State University for many years, accumulating enough hours to graduate but not enough in any discipline to obtain a degree. She finally found her calling when she applied for a job at R. S. Fling & Partners as a computer operator. She eventually learned enough of the computer business to move her way up to programmer and then systems engineer. Her first job was working at Western Electric as an assembler, then Beasley Ford (later Graham Ford) as a clerk/typist, Columbus Museum of Art as assistant bookkeeper, R. S. Fling & Partners as computer  operator/programmer, BancOhio as computer programmer and systems manager, and Ross Laboratories (now Abbott Laboratories) from where she retired in 1999 as a systems engineer.  It was her love of history that inspired her to work on her family history. She also loved to scrapbook with friends and a few years ago she started quilting. A life-long habit of reading brought her a great deal of enjoyment. She loved to travel and had visited Canada, England, Scotland, France, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, and The Netherlands; in addition she visited all but 10 states in the United States. Nira moved from Columbus to Brooktondale to marry Cian, whom she had met through mutual friends. She loved the country life she shared with him, and felt blessed and accepted by the love of his family. She felt there was no greater love than that of her children.  Per Nira’s wishes there will be no service. She will be cremated with her ashes scattered in the Arizona desert where she loved spending the winter months.  Condolences may be made to Nira’s family at www.emfaheyfuneralhome.com.