STEEP FALLS- Walter Sanford Chapin, Jr. (Sandy) was born to Pauline Chapin and Walter S. Chapin, Sr. and he and his sister Virginia grew up in Waban, Massachusetts. They summered in Friendship Maine with grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins.
Sandy and Eleanor Lougee fell in love while attending Nasson College in Springdale, Maine. They were married for sixty-one years and had two wonderful daughters, Kimberly Chapin Butler and Laura Paige Collins. He was tremendously proud of them both.
Sandy received his B.S. degree from Clark University in Worcester Massachusetts. He went on to work in logistics for The Dow Chemical Company. During this time our family had the opportunity to live in multiple locations including Massachusetts, Michigan, Washington, and Indiana. We spent time exploring them all as well as neighboring states. He retired after thirty-two years.
He and Eleanor moved back to Maine to spend their retirement. Once he settled in he became a volunteer firefighter and first responder. He also was one of the founders of the VIPS program. He was extremely active and dedicated to both.
Sandy was known for his kindness, thoughtfulness, and generosity. He easily made friends wherever he went. He loved gadgets, technology, tractors, cars and boats. All his boats were named KELP which stood for Kim, Eleanor, Paige. His daughters remember him as the anchor of our family.
Survivors include his wife, Eleanor of Steep Falls, his daughters Kimberly Butler of Sanford, Mi., and L. Paige Collins of Steep Falls. Sandy, otherwise known as Poppy, has three grandchildren Danielle and her husband Mario Ibarra, Taryn and her husband Josh Wentz, and Kyle Collins. He also has 6 great grandchildren. He has one sister Ginny who lives in California but still summers in Friendship.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Poitras, Neal & York Funeral Home, Cornish, www.mainefuneral.com