Charles F. Chapin

If you knew Charlie Chapin, no words are necessary. If you didn’t know him, you missed the companionship of a Renaissance man, a raconteur and loyal friend. At 95 he embraced life with gusto with the energy of a man half his age.

He was born in Providence in 1929, to Robert C. and Helen C. Chapin. He attended John Howland Grade School, Nathan Bishop Junior High, and The Providence Country Day School. He graduated from Choate and Amherst College, where he wrestled and ran track. After college he married Genevieve Winsor Brown who predeceased him in 1980.

He was a Coast Guard OCS graduate and was active duty for two years. His final assignment was Commanding Officer of the ORTug unit. Following that, he was in the Coast Guard Reserve for fifteen years, and retired as a Lieutenant Commander.

He began his business career at Kidder Peabody in Providence. After spending eleven years with Kidder, he was hired by Textron to be the Assistant to the Chairman. A promotion to Vice President in charge of Acquisitions and Dispositions was followed by another promotion to Group Vice President. While Group Vice President, he served as President of Security Insurance and President of Gorham.

He served on the board of directors at Ionics, Keystone Funds, People’s Savings Bank, Kenney Manufacturing, and the Herreshoff Marine Museum. He led the Investment Committee at the Providence Beneficent Congregational Church and he was head of the RI Development Corp. He also served on the Barrington Zoning Board for 15 years.

He enjoyed membership in the Barrington Yacht Club, New Bedford Yacht Club, New YorkYacht Club, and Useppa Island Yacht Club. He was a member of the Cruising Club of America and served as Commodore of the Twenty Hundred Club. He was an artist-member of the Providence Art Club and belonged to the IGWE (In God We Trust) Investment Club, the oldest private investment club in America.

A Barrington resident for 79 years, he was an avid sailor his whole life. In addition to competing in numerous local races over the years, he raced in eight Mackinac Island races, ten Bermuda races and three Marblehead to Halifax races. In addition to sailing, he enjoyed playing tennis, skiing, and hiking. He played croquet almost to the end of his life.

In 1982, he purchased three house lots in the center of Blount Circle and began clearing and planting trees, turning it into a lovely park, making it a sanctuary and preserve for birds and wildlife. It’s a place for quiet reflection and enjoyment for the neighborhood.

He took great pleasure in the challenge of restoring old derelict boats and he was an avid artist who sculpted whales and painted sailing scenes on driftwood. He never sold his art, but instead donated many of his pieces to charity auctions and generously gave items away to any who sought to have his work.

A man of keen intellect, he enjoyed helping fledgling businesses by giving them loans with no interest and no repayment date. A staunch patriot and conservative Republican, he supported a sound economy, the principle of compound interest and living debt-free. His lifelong creed was to not spend principle when possible.

When he retired in 1991, he had a 55-foot Florida Bay Coaster trawler built, on which he and his wife, Kay began their snow-birding life. They cruised extensively, including 15 round-trips on the Inland Waterway and enjoyed cruising in Maine and the Bahamas.

For the last 25 years, he and Kay spent each winter on Useppa Island in Florida, where, for 15 years, he held the lead in the weekly Catboat racing series.

He is survived by his wife, Kay, of 43 years; his brother, William Chapin; his daughters, Anne Chapin of Barrington, Nancy Chapin of Roanoke, VA and Gilford, NH, and Betsy Chapin and her husband, Barrett Lagueux Chapin of Belmont, NH; his step-children, Michelle Dupont Chapin of Los Angelas, CA, Renee Dupont of Colorado, Jeff DuPont of Jackson Hole, WY; seven grand children and one great-granddaughter. He was predeceased by his brother, Richard Chapin.

In lieu of donations, please reach out and help someone. The reward always pays great dividends.

Celebration of his life to be held  Saturday  February 1, 2025 at Swan Point Cemetery Historic Chapel 596 Blackstone Blvd, Providence, RI 02906 at 10:30 AM with reception to follow. Please visit www.smithmason.com for online condolences.

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