Cover Article | By Jocklyn Mundy | Photo by Windermere Photography
The Chambliss family's love for travel, adventure, nature, and physical challenges has taken them to various countries, exploring deserts, mountains, dormant volcanoes, and even glaciers. Each journey not only adds to their collection of experiences but also deepens their appreciation for coming home to Windermere.
Neal grew up in Tampa, where he settled after earning his degree from Florida State. In 1996 he relocated to Virginia for work, living near Washington DC. Seven years later, Neal felt the pull to return to Florida. He says, “I wanted something different than Tampa and had visited longtime friends and Windermere residents Tim and Julie Leffler many times, and loved the small-town feel and friendliness of Windermere.” He has been a Windermere resident ever since.
Karen grew up in the Midwest and went to college in Illinois working for Disney over the summer. She says, “I liked Florida so much that I moved here a week after I graduated and bought a townhome in Summerport.”
Their story began when Neal and Karen's paths crossed at a Harbor Nights event at Universal Studios Portofino Hotel. Karen's playful reference to getting back to her "date" did not deter Neal from continuing his conversation with her. Karen recalls, “A few hours later he realized I was talking about my father who was visiting from Chicago.” This humorous misunderstanding set the stage for a relationship filled with laughter and shared interests. In 2010 Neal and Karen were married on Sunset Beach at Treasure Island.
Neal and Karen's family extends to Neal's adult children, Kyra and Conner. Kyra is a project director for a web design company, and Connor is a civil engineer. The extended family includes Kyra's husband Peter King and their son Braydon, Connor's wife Kendyl, and their daughters Elle and Emmy.
A few years after getting married Neal and Karen were ready to have a child together. Neal recalls, “When I asked my doctor about having another child at my age, my doctor joked about referring me to see a psychologist.” It wasn’t long before they were blessed with Hunter. Neal says, “he keeps me young and on my toes.”
Karen adds, “Hunter loves having his older siblings. He’s always excited to tell his friends that he has older siblings.” The only issue is, “It’s hard to spoil the grandchildren while you’re in front of your young child. So when we’re all together, ‘Uncle Hunter’ especially loves it because he gets spoiled too.” Hunter is in the 2nd grade at Windermere Elementary, his favorite subjects are math, PE, and recess. He also enjoys collecting Pokemon cards.
Neal has a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Communications-Advertising from Florida State University. Neal is an SVP for MarketCast, a market research firm specializing in advertising, brand tracking/fandom, and data analytics. Neal says, “I lead a great team that manages research projects for companies including Nike, Ford, T-Mobile, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Terminix, and for sports leagues such as the NFL, MLS, and NBA teams.”
Karen has a degree from Eastern Illinois University in Recreation Administration. Karen is also a graduate of EMT and Fire School at Central Florida Fire Academy and Paramedic School at Rescue Training Inc. Karen has been a Firefighter/Paramedic for 12 years now. Before her career in public service, Karen was an event planner and designer. Karen recalls, “One day, while on my way to work, I drove past Central Florida Fire Academy and took an interest in the fact that you had to be physically fit to do a job like that. I then met a woman who worked for the Orange County Fire Department, and she helped train me to become a firefighter.” Karen says she loves the crew she works with, “They are like a second family to me, I spend a third of my life with them.”
When Neal and Karen looked for a home to have together, they knew they wanted to stay in Windermere. They enjoy the charm and appeal of Windermere, living close to the beautiful lakes, and they love that every house is different. They found the perfect fit in downtown Windermere, where they have lived now for 14 years. They have enjoyed fixing up their home, making it their own. A few years ago they completely gutted and renovated the first floor. Karen notes, “It started out as just changing the kitchen lights and refrigerator, that’s when we learned the four most dangerous words when renovating ‘while we’re at it…’”
Their home reflects their evolving lifestyle and love for hosting gatherings. Karen says, “We have become great friends with our neighbors, we love the community of Windermere.” She adds, “Fun fact…the idea for The Windermere Brewing Company was hatched by friends of ours during a dinner at our house.”
The Chamblisses share a passion for outdoor activities. Hunter plays soccer and tennis, and together, they've recently taken up pickleball. Hunter at seven years old has already completed four marathons. Karen and Neal have also completed several marathons and triathlons. Karen has done the Disney and Chicago marathons and next year, she will do the New York marathon. Her goal is to do a marathon in Greece. Karen can’t count how many Triathlons she has done, “I have been doing them for 17 years now.” Neal has also done numerous marathons including the Marine Corps marathon and quite a few sprint Triathlons. Karen recalls, “When we first met, he told me that he had done one that I had also, so I compared our times and found out I beat him. I decided that since I could beat him at a triathlon I could date him.”
Their love of adventure has brought them to destinations including Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Ireland, Scotland, and the Bahamas. Karen's international travels have included a student exchange program in Belgium, and visits to France, Luxembourg, Germany, Australia, and the Netherlands. Neal has enjoyed trips to France and Monaco. As a family, they've enjoyed adventures in Canada and beautiful Iceland. Every other year, the family sets out on a new international destination.
Their U.S. travels are equally extensive, they have explored Maine, New Hampshire, Arizona, Texas, California, Georgia, Utah, Indiana, and North Carolina. Hunter's favorite trip was Arizona, he loved hiking and climbing all the rocks.
Neal and Karen agree their favorite trip as a family was Iceland; “We hiked a glacier, dormant volcano, and a crater lake. We dog sledded, went to a black sand beach, saw icebergs and seals, and took a speed boat around an island with puffins and caves. We all ran the 5k Midnight Run Iceland (but it was still daylight) in Reykjavik.” Although they have a lot of trips on their bucket list, they agree Hawaii is definitely at the top.
Their commitment to the community is equally impressive. Karen's volunteer work includes a 160-mile bike ride for Cure on Wheels and a 60-mile Ride to the Rescue. She actively participates in Windermere Elementary School's PTO and consignment sales. Neal and Karen together have contributed to "Do Good Date Nights," helping causes like the Second Harvest Food Bank, where they once bagged around 5,000 pounds of carrots.
The Chambliss family's remarkable journey has not only built a life filled with international travel and physical challenges but also a deep commitment to their community and family. Their love for exploring the world parallels their dedication to Windermere, where they have created a nurturing home and the richness that comes from embracing life with enthusiasm and heart.
We would like to thank Anna Sells Lakeside for bringing you this month’s cover article.
