Our Legacy
Fox Field Farm has never simply been a place. It has always been people. Families gathered around barn aisles and campfires. Children finding confidence for the very first time beside a gentle horse. Friends becoming family through muddy boots, hard work, laughter, and shared love for animals and the land.
For generations, this farm has been shaped by the hands and hearts of those who cared for it — not only the people who built it, but also the animals who gave it life, purpose, comfort, and joy.
In all we do, honor that legacy.
It is the story of where we came from, the people and animals who shaped Fox Field Farm into what it is today, the heartbreaks we have endured, and the resilience that continues to carry us forward.
Fox Field Farm is still standing because of love — the kind that survives loss, grows through hardship, and continues through every child who laughs here, every animal cared for here, and every memory still being made on this land.
In Loving Memory of John E. Chambers
“Big Papa”
John E. Chambers of Branford, a man whose presence was matched only by the size of his heart, passed away on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at Connecticut Hospice after a long battle with cancer, leaving behind a legacy of laughter, kindness, and deep love for the world around him. He was the beloved husband of Yvette Phenix Chambers.
John was born in New Haven on March 23, 1957, a son of the late Norman R. Chambers, Jr. and Marion Schmidt Chambers, and was a lifelong resident of Branford. He and his family owned Shelley’s Garden Center on Main Street in Branford for many years until its closing in 2023.
In addition to Yvette, John is survived by his children, Christiane (Andy) Fowler of Clinton and Taylor (Benjamin) Chambers-Scussel of Branford; his grandchildren, Henry Fowler and Ava, Aurora, and Autumn Scussel; and his sister, Michele (Alan) Santos of Vermont. He was predeceased by his brother, Norman R. Chambers, III.
John was truly a gentle soul who cared deeply for all of God’s creatures, great and small. Throughout his life, he moved through the world with a quiet reverence for nature, taking immense pride in cultivating remarkable plants of every kind. To know John was to know a man rarely seen without a faithful German Shepherd by his side; a reflection of his deep bond with animals and his loyal, protective nature.
His personality was, in every sense, larger than life. John had a rare gift for brightening any room. He was often the first to make others laugh, offer a playful nickname, or greet someone with his signature warm, welcoming handshake. Beneath his joyful humor, however, was a steady and peaceful presence; a source of strength for his family and community whose impact will be felt for years to come.
At Fox Field Farm, John became lovingly known as “Big Papa” — a name that reflected not only his towering presence, but the warmth, humor, and sense of safety he brought to everyone around him. Whether he was caring for animals, helping a child feel comfortable around a horse for the very first time, fixing fences, sharing stories, or simply sitting quietly with a dog nearby, John embodied the spirit of the farm itself: welcoming, grounded, compassionate, and real.
His love for agriculture, animals, family, and community lives on in every corner of Fox Field Farm. Though his passing leaves an immeasurable void, his presence remains deeply woven into the land, the animals, the memories made here, and the generations of lives he helped shape.
Burial services will be held privately. In honor of John’s lifelong commitment to the land and the industry he loved, his legacy will continue to foster the premiere agricultural leaders of tomorrow.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made in John’s memory to FFA and 4-H youth programs, ensuring his passion for agricultural leadership inspires future generations.