In Memorium

My Grandpa Chapin passed away last Wednesday. Grandma just sent me his obituary and I have posted it below.

WALTER HAYDEN CHAPIN

1932 - 2008

Walter Hayden Chapin died December 31, 2008 at the Saint Thomas Moore Hospital in Canon City, Colorado.

He was born February 4, 1932 in Pocatello, Banock, Idaho. The son of Perry (Harry or Bud) Chapin and Emma Elenora Hayden. He was preceded in death by his parents and sisters: Neva Jean Chapin Krahmer and Gleora Kaye Chapin.

He was married on May 3, 1952 in Provo, Utah, to Norma Jean Hall, who survives him. This union was blessed with the following children: Kathleen Chapin Day (Anthony), Norman Hall Chapin (Rebecca ), Jean Marie Chapin Seifert (Edward), Sally Jo Chapin Henrie (Gregory) and Thomas Burk Chapin.

He is survived by nineteen grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held on Jan 7, 2009 at 10 o'clock AM at the Church of Christ in Florence, Colorado.

Walter loved the military. He was called to active duty in 1952 serving with the Navy in the Korean Conflict. After returning home he remained in the Naval Reserves until he retired from the Navy. He lived in El Paso, Texas for a short time following his discharge from active service then he and his family moved to Las Animas, Colorado. He lived in Ulysses, Kansas and then moved to Canon City, Colorado where he spent most of his remaining life.

Walter was trained as a newspaper printer in Las Animas, Colorado at the Las Animas Leader. In 1957 the family moved to Canon City, Colorado where he worked as a printer at the Daily Record for twenty-three years. He later worked for the E. B. Typecrafters in Denver, Colorado for nine years until returning to Canon City to live for the rest of his life.

Walter loved to hunt and spent many happy days wandering the foothills and mountains of Colorado hunting for deer, elk and antelope. He was a good gun smith doing most of the repair work on his own guns and reloading ammunition etc. He was a gifted wood worker and fashioned many beautiful stocks for some of his rifles. He was a long time member of the Church of Christ. Walter loved his family and was a lifetime learner. He will be sorely missed by his family and many friends.