HENRY CHIP CHAPIN Good night, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. - from "Hamlet," by William Shakespeare Henry Ellis Chapin, fondly known as Chip to his friends and family, passed away at the age of 51 on March 4, 2014 at The Queens Medical Center. Chip was born on August 11, 1962 in Sleepy Hollow, New York. He lived with his family in Kentucky as an infant and then for a longer time in Yellow Springs and Wilmington, Ohio. Chip graduated from Olney Friends School, a Quaker school in Barnesville, Ohio. He attended Wilmington College, where he played soccer during his freshman year, and later Hawaii Pacific University. Chip came to Honolulu, the birthplace of his mother Helen Geracimos Chapin, in 1978. The family moved here to take care of his Tutu, Pota Geracimos Jardine. Chip was an avid baseball fan, especially of the Cincinnati Reds (the immortal Big Red Machine during his time in Ohio) and the New York Mets. He had a detailed knowledge of the players and could remember Willie McCovey of the Giants hitting two huge home runs into the upper deck of Riverfront Stadium where Chip was sitting. More recently, he had become a fan of the Roosevelt High School girls' basketball team, which he followed on TV and in the newspaper. When he was only seven or eight, Chip became fascinated with the game of chess, and began playing at a weekly chess club in Yellow Springs. After moving to Honolulu, he played regularly in local tournaments, played postal chess, and eventually achieved the rank of Expert. He also published notable games and analyses in national publications. He played postal chess with an opponent named Vaclav Havel from Czechoslovakia. The Czech President and playwright, Vaclav Havel, was known to be a correspondence chess player, but Chip focused on the chess moves and didn't talk politics. When chess legend Samuel Reshevsky put on a simultaneous chess exhibition at Ala Moana Center, Chip played that master to a draw. He was a regular at the Waikiki chess tables. He chuckled when recalling one old-timer saying to him, "You're in deep kim chee now, son," before Chip went on to win the game. Taking after relatives on both sides of his family, including the Hawaiian Greeks, Chip also fell in love with the game of bridge. He played for many years, attaining the level of Gold Life Master with over 4,000 points. Many of the bridge players became his friends, and he loved the tournaments, both here and on the Mainland. Among Chip's bridge colleagues were Stanley and Madelyn Dunham. One day he came home and said. "This lady I play bridge with said her grandson was just elected Senator from Illinois." Of course, that Senator is now President Barack Obama. Chip also played computer bridge with many people all over the world. Chip loved a wide range of pop and rock music and had a detailed knowledge of the musicians and songs. He was in the audience for concerts by "Kiss," and "The Grateful Dead." He was present at the tragic Cincinnati concert of "The Who," and, fortunately, escaped being trampled. In Honolulu, Chip went to live concerts by Chuck Mangione, Michael Jackson, and Elton John. He had recently become fond of the Hawaii Opera Theatre (HOT) and its wonderful productions, and he enjoyed plays at Manoa Valley Theatre and films at Movie Museum in Kaimuki. He was also a fan of Thai restaurants in Honolulu and Waipahu, where he made many friends during recent years. At least three of Chip's doctors independently commented on his resilient constitution. One of them noted that although Chip faced many challenges, he never complained of his circumstances and that time spent with him was extraordinarily enriching. Chip was predeceased in 2012 by his beloved mother Helen, who was a strong patriot of Hawaii, educator, and President and Editor of the Hawaiian Historical Society. He is survived by his father, Henry "Hank" Chapin; his sisters Georganne Chapin (Paul/Pablo Weinschenk) of Woodstock, NY, Julia Chapin Bozzo (Michael) of Bellingham, WA, and his brother, Nicholas King Chapin of Honolulu. He also was the uncle of Gina Bozzo of Maui, Deanna Bozzo of Bellingham, and Ernesto Echeverria of Corning, NY. Chip had nine first cousins on the Mainland, and two locally, Jill Smyth of Kailua and John Wassman of the Big Island. He had a large extended family both here and on the East Coast, and many good friends, including Wally Young of Honolulu and Sunisa Vatanasuk of Bangkok, Thailand. Chip was a deep and beautiful person who will be dearly missed. His friend Sunisa recently wrote that Chip told her how much he loved his mother. She said, "In Buddhism he would be merited by God." Chip was a religious seeker, especially with Asian religions. He even named his cat, whom he brought home while volunteering at the Hawaiian Humane Society, Govinda - another name for the Hindu god Krishna. A Memorial Service in the Quaker manner of thoughtful statements by those moved by the spirit to speak, music, and comfortable silent meditation for Chip Chapin will be held on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 1:00 pm (gathering at 12:30). The location will be The Chapel at Oahu Cemetery, 2162 Nu`uanu Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii 96817. Reception to follow. Aloha attire. Voluntary donations in memory of Chip Chapin may be made to Aloha Waipahu Clubhouse, 94-091 Waipio Point Access Road, Waipahu, HI 96797, or to The Chess Club, Washington Middle School, 1633 S. King St., Honolulu, HI 96826.
HENRY CHIP CHAPIN Good night, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. - from "Hamlet," by William Shakespeare Henry Ellis Chapin, fondly known as Chip to his friends and family, passed away at the age of 51 on March 4, 2014 at The Queens Medical Center. Chip was born on August 11, 1962 in Sleepy Hollow, New York. He lived with his family in Kentucky as an infant and then for a longer time in Yellow Springs and Wilmington, Ohio. Chip graduated from Olney Friends School, a Quaker school in Barnesville, Ohio. He attended Wilmington College, where he played soccer during his freshman year, and later Hawaii Pacific University. Chip came to Honolulu, the birthplace of his mother Helen Geracimos Chapin, in 1978. The family moved here to take care of his Tutu, Pota Geracimos Jardine. Chip was an avid baseball fan, especially of the Cincinnati Reds (the immortal Big Red Machine during his time in Ohio) and the New York Mets. He had a detailed knowledge of the players and could remember Willie McCovey of the Giants hitting two huge home runs into the upper deck of Riverfront Stadium where Chip was sitting. More recently, he had become a fan of the Roosevelt High School girls' basketball team, which he followed on TV and in the newspaper. When he was only seven or eight, Chip became fascinated with the game of chess, and began playing at a weekly chess club in Yellow Springs. After moving to Honolulu, he played regularly in local tournaments, played postal chess, and eventually achieved the rank of Expert. He also published notable games and analyses in national publications. He played postal chess with an opponent named Vaclav Havel from Czechoslovakia. The Czech President and playwright, Vaclav Havel, was known to be a correspondence chess player, but Chip focused on the chess moves and didn't talk politics. When chess legend Samuel Reshevsky put on a simultaneous chess exhibition at Ala Moana Center, Chip played that master to a draw. He was a regular at the Waikiki chess tables. He chuckled when recalling one old-timer saying to him, "You're in deep kim chee now, son," before Chip went on to win the game. Taking after relatives on both sides of his family, including the Hawaiian Greeks, Chip also fell in love with the game of bridge. He played for many years, attaining the level of Gold Life Master with over 4,000 points. Many of the bridge players became his friends, and he loved the tournaments, both here and on the Mainland. Among Chip's bridge colleagues were Stanley and Madelyn Dunham. One day he came home and said. "This lady I play bridge with said her grandson was just elected Senator from Illinois." Of course, that Senator is now President Barack Obama. Chip also played computer bridge with many people all over the world. Chip loved a wide range of pop and rock music and had a detailed knowledge of the musicians and songs. He was in the audience for concerts by "Kiss," and "The Grateful Dead." He was present at the tragic Cincinnati concert of "The Who," and, fortunately, escaped being trampled. In Honolulu, Chip went to live concerts by Chuck Mangione, Michael Jackson, and Elton John. He had recently become fond of the Hawaii Opera Theatre (HOT) and its wonderful productions, and he enjoyed plays at Manoa Valley Theatre and films at Movie Museum in Kaimuki. He was also a fan of Thai restaurants in Honolulu and Waipahu, where he made many friends during recent years. At least three of Chip's doctors independently commented on his resilient constitution. One of them noted that although Chip faced many challenges, he never complained of his circumstances and that time spent with him was extraordinarily enriching. Chip was predeceased in 2012 by his beloved mother Helen, who was a strong patriot of Hawaii, educator, and President and Editor of the Hawaiian Historical Society. He is survived by his father, Henry "Hank" Chapin; his sisters Georganne Chapin (Paul/Pablo Weinschenk) of Woodstock, NY, Julia Chapin Bozzo (Michael) of Bellingham, WA, and his brother, Nicholas King Chapin of Honolulu. He also was the uncle of Gina Bozzo of Maui, Deanna Bozzo of Bellingham, and Ernesto Echeverria of Corning, NY. Chip had nine first cousins on the Mainland, and two locally, Jill Smyth of Kailua and John Wassman of the Big Island. He had a large extended family both here and on the East Coast, and many good friends, including Wally Young of Honolulu and Sunisa Vatanasuk of Bangkok, Thailand. Chip was a deep and beautiful person who will be dearly missed. His friend Sunisa recently wrote that Chip told her how much he loved his mother. She said, "In Buddhism he would be merited by God." Chip was a religious seeker, especially with Asian religions. He even named his cat, whom he brought home while volunteering at the Hawaiian Humane Society, Govinda - another name for the Hindu god Krishna. A Memorial Service in the Quaker manner of thoughtful statements by those moved by the spirit to speak, music, and comfortable silent meditation for Chip Chapin will be held on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 1:00 pm (gathering at 12:30). The location will be The Chapel at Oahu Cemetery, 2162 Nu`uanu Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii 96817. Reception to follow. Aloha attire. Voluntary donations in memory of Chip Chapin may be made to Aloha Waipahu Clubhouse, 94-091 Waipio Point Access Road, Waipahu, HI 96797, or to The Chess Club, Washington Middle School, 1633 S. King St., Honolulu, HI 96826.Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased
