Janet Bavier Chambliss

Janet Bavier Chambliss, 88, of DeLand, FL passed away peacefully on February 22, 2026 supported by her family and friends. She was predeceased by her parents, Ralph Henry Bavier and Sue Bavier. Janet was born on May 8, 1937, in Waterbury, CT. Janet’s spirit of adventure began on her family’s 36 acre farm “Lazy Acres” in Naugatuck, CT, where she rode her horse Tony and yearned to be a cowboy. She was a crack shot with a BB gun, grew award winning vegetables for 4H fairs, and fox hunted with a local hunt club as a teenager. She attended Centenary Junior College and earned her Associate’s degree. She worked as a stewardess for American Airlines, “when flying was fun”, making the acquaintance of passengers Jonathan Winters and Marylyn Monroe. She later traveled around the world for $128 with her sister Sal, who worked for Pan Am, visiting Honolulu, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Rome and London. Janet later worked as a Real Estate Agent in Ridgefield, CT. 

Janet married Ronald Robert Parris on October 17, 1957 and had two children, Robert Parris and Linda Parris Farina (Kevin), who survive her. On May 21, 1979 she married Samuel Maudlin Chambliss. 

She loved visiting “The Shack”, a weathered cottage in Nantucket, enjoying clam chowder, shopping the fish markets and walking with her kids and dogs on the dunes and beaches at Eel Point. The property provided a 180 degree pristine view of the Atlantic Ocean. 

After taking an African Safari to Zimbabwe in 1983, Janet and Sam embarked on a life-changing adventure, moving to Twin Springs in Kwe Kwe Zimbabwe where they later became owners of a 18,500 acre property and joined other ranches in forming the Midlands Black Rhino Conservancy. They operated a safari company offering hunting and horseback photography, attracting clients from the United States, Europe and Australia. Many clients became lifelong friends who Janet remained in contact with until her passing. 

Janet was passionate in her learning about the flowers, trees, birds, and mammals of Africa. She covered countless miles with her trackers to maintain accurate health, mating and birth records of the endangered population of black rhinos, earning commendations from National Parks for outstanding records. 

A special relationship with a hand-reared rhino named Rosalind taught Janet a humbling trust of wild animals. She wrote a book titled Rosalind Remembered detailing the antics of the wild African animals that she and Sam grew to cherish with stories of elephants: Buddy, Lundy, Sabi, rhinos: Rozzie, Tafadzwa, Jubulani and a Secretary Bird named Dwaai, among so many others. She wrote, “We were to find that with all the splendid things we were to see and learn, there was a flip side of the coin all too often. The more something is loved, the greater the loss.” 

After being asked by National Parks to be a safe space for the rhino, in 2005 the same government put them out of the country, and four years later Roz was killed by poachers. Janet and her husband fled to Gonubie, South Africa, where they lived until returning to the States for medical reasons and to be close to family. After settling in DeLand in 2012, two years later Sam passed away. Janet joined the St. Barnabas Episcopal Church family where she made the dearest friends of her life. 

To the dedicated friends and caregivers at Alliance Assisted Living, and her medical and support team at Gentiva Hospice, we humbly say “thank you” for the love and care as Janet fought her final battle with cancer and kidney disease. Janet loved to educate, share stories and host video viewings to anyone who wanted to learn of her African experiences. 

Janet is survived by, in addition to Linda and Bob, her sisters Barbara Strong and Sally Louis, grandchildren Alexander Bavier Farina (Molly) and Emily Rae Farina, stepchildren Pat Chambliss Jacoway (Mike), Samuel Maudlin Chambliss III (Elizabeth), Jimmy Chambliss (Laura), and step grandchildren Mary Jacoway, Grayson Jacoway, Carter Fawcell, Ansley Husack, Bo Chambliss, Jennie Chambliss, John Chambliss, and Ori Chambliss, and eight step great grandchildren. 

There will be a memorial service at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at 1pm with a reception to follow at Canterbury House. 

Donations in Janet’s name can be made to St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 319 W Wisconsin Ave., Deland FL 32720 or Tunnel 2 Towers, at www.t2t.org .