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Published March 30, 2023 at 6:00 a.m. | Updated March 30, 2023 at 9:09 a.m.
Claud Pritchard Chapman, 92, of Boone, N. C., passed away peacefully on March 20, 2023, surrounded by his wife and children.
Claud was born on January 17, 1931, in Middletown, Conn., to Claude Chapman and Margaret Southmayd. He was raised in Burlington, Vt., by Peter and Essie LaFond and spent his formative years at the Kurn Hattin School for Children in Westminster, Vt. He returned to Burlington to attend Burlington High School and graduated in 1950. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1951 to serve his country during the Korean War and was honorably discharged in 1955.
Upon returning from service, he worked at Queen City Printers until he joined the newly opened location of IBM in Essex Junction, Vt., in 1957. He worked at IBM for 35 years until his retirement in 1992. In 1958, he met his beloved wife, Jane McKenzie, and they were married on September 3, 1960. In 1993, Claud and his wife, Jane, embarked on a new adventure and moved to warmer climes in Lincoln, Del., before settling in their current home in Boone, N.C., in 2018.
Claud was a man of many passions, chief among them was music. He was a clarinet player as a youth, and he instilled that passion of music in both of his children, Alicia and David. Music was a part of Claud’s life every day, be it on the radio or in person at his daughter Alicia’s many symphony concerts. He was passionate about sports, especially teams from Detroit and Michigan — a passion that was kindled when he traveled to Detroit as a young boy to meet his father and attended a Detroit Tigers baseball game.
Claud’s devotion to his family was his raison d'être — whether it was supporting Alicia in her music and her love of horses and traveling many miles to concerts and horse events or supporting David by coaching Little League baseball, getting up early for hockey practices or attending David’s adult hockey games.
Claud was beloved by many and made lifelong friends along the way, including many enduring, dear relationships at his home at Brian Estates. Although he was an only child, his family grew throughout the years. He married into a family of 11 siblings, and, very late in life, through the diligence of his daughter, he met two cousins on his mother’s side and discovered his father’s side of the family tree can be traced back to the 17th century.
Claud is survived by his wife of over 62 years, Jane Chapman (née McKenzie) of Boone, N.C.; his children Alicia Chapman of Boone, N.C., and David Chapman and his wife, Lauren, of Shelburne, Vt.; cousins Beverly Rzewnicki of Narragansett, R.I., and Gail Vivian of South Hadley, Mass.; and his many siblings in-law, nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, his foster parents and his foster siblings Lucille, Alma and Blanche.
There will be a memorial service at Brian Estates in Boone, N.C., and a Catholic funeral service at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Shelburne, Vt., at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association or the Kurn Hattin School for Children.
Claud was born on January 17, 1931, in Middletown, Conn., to Claude Chapman and Margaret Southmayd. He was raised in Burlington, Vt., by Peter and Essie LaFond and spent his formative years at the Kurn Hattin School for Children in Westminster, Vt. He returned to Burlington to attend Burlington High School and graduated in 1950. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1951 to serve his country during the Korean War and was honorably discharged in 1955.
Upon returning from service, he worked at Queen City Printers until he joined the newly opened location of IBM in Essex Junction, Vt., in 1957. He worked at IBM for 35 years until his retirement in 1992. In 1958, he met his beloved wife, Jane McKenzie, and they were married on September 3, 1960. In 1993, Claud and his wife, Jane, embarked on a new adventure and moved to warmer climes in Lincoln, Del., before settling in their current home in Boone, N.C., in 2018.
Claud was a man of many passions, chief among them was music. He was a clarinet player as a youth, and he instilled that passion of music in both of his children, Alicia and David. Music was a part of Claud’s life every day, be it on the radio or in person at his daughter Alicia’s many symphony concerts. He was passionate about sports, especially teams from Detroit and Michigan — a passion that was kindled when he traveled to Detroit as a young boy to meet his father and attended a Detroit Tigers baseball game.
Claud’s devotion to his family was his raison d'être — whether it was supporting Alicia in her music and her love of horses and traveling many miles to concerts and horse events or supporting David by coaching Little League baseball, getting up early for hockey practices or attending David’s adult hockey games.
Claud was beloved by many and made lifelong friends along the way, including many enduring, dear relationships at his home at Brian Estates. Although he was an only child, his family grew throughout the years. He married into a family of 11 siblings, and, very late in life, through the diligence of his daughter, he met two cousins on his mother’s side and discovered his father’s side of the family tree can be traced back to the 17th century.
Claud is survived by his wife of over 62 years, Jane Chapman (née McKenzie) of Boone, N.C.; his children Alicia Chapman of Boone, N.C., and David Chapman and his wife, Lauren, of Shelburne, Vt.; cousins Beverly Rzewnicki of Narragansett, R.I., and Gail Vivian of South Hadley, Mass.; and his many siblings in-law, nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, his foster parents and his foster siblings Lucille, Alma and Blanche.
There will be a memorial service at Brian Estates in Boone, N.C., and a Catholic funeral service at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Shelburne, Vt., at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association or the Kurn Hattin School for Children.
