Jack Chapman Obituary

Brattleboro- John "Jack" Mitchell Chapman, 80, of Kipling Road, a longtime resident of Brattleboro, died Sunday night, December 8, 2024, in the comfort of his home following a brief illness of acute leukemia. Jack was born in Beverly, Massachusetts on April 7, 1944, the son of Philip B. and Alice (Mitchell) Chapman. With his family he moved to Vermont at a young age, attending Academy School and graduating from Brattleboro Union High School with the Class of 1962. He went on to attend Currie College in Massachusetts then Windham College in Putney before enlisting in the US Navy where he served as an aviation electrician for four years aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Franklin D. Roosevelt. Upon his honorable discharge from active service, he returned home to Brattleboro and was employed by New England Telephone Co. and transitioned through 34 years of telecommunications, eventually retiring from Verizon. Jack was a member of the American Legion, Brattleboro Post #5 and the V.F.W. Carl M. Dessaint Post #1034. Of his leisure time activities, he enjoyed fishing and hunting with his friends at Holland, Vermont. He became infamous for being lost for five days in the Northeast Kingdom during hunting season in 2016. On October 15, 1983, in Brattleboro, he was married to Debra Miller who survives. Besides his wife of 41 years, he leaves one son, John L. Chapman (Erika) of Washougal, WA; a daughter, Elizabeth Gazo (Matthew) of Colchester, VT; his grandchildren, Cody and Alac Chapman and Leland, Louis and Isabella Gazo; a sister, Nancy Sprague of Brattleboro; and a nephew, Tad Pritchard. Additionally, he leaves his beloved Golden Retriever "Frankie." Jack was predeceased by a son, Tyler W. Chapman in 2010. The family would like to convey their heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to BMH Oncology Department, Bayada Healthcare and Hospice teams, and Dr. Emily Forbes-Mobus for all their compassion and quality care. In keeping with Jack's final wishes, there are no formal funeral services scheduled. He will be laid to rest next to his son in Dummerston Center Cemetery in the springtime. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Jack's name may be made to Rescue Inc., P.O. Box 593, Brattleboro, VT 05302; or to New England K9 Search & Rescue, P.O. Box 407, Grantham, NH 03753. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jack Chapman, please visit our floral store.