James Edmund Chase, 84, of Ipswich, died quietly Monday morning,
April 23, 2012 in the Beverly Hospital. He was a thirty-seven year
resident of Ipswich and was predeceased by his loving wife
of fifty-two years, Charlotte Hill Chase.
Born on January 25, 1928, son of the late Frederick W. and Evelyn
(Currier) Chase, he was raised in Newburyport and was a graduate of
Governor Dummer Academy and Boston
University. He was employed as Town Engineer by the Town of Ipswich
for fourteen years, retiring in 1993. He was an experienced civil
engineer, in Greenland with the National Geographic Survey, in Page,
AZ, as a foreman on the Glen Canyon Dam, and in Boston at firms
including Metcalf & Eddy and C.E. Maguire where he created
infrastructural blue prints for various projects including Martha’s
Vineyard Airport and the 1964 New York World’s Fair. In the late
1950s, he flew to Havana, the notorious party city of pre-Castro
Cuba. Jim was a dry wit with impeccable timing and languid
delivery. He was a reciter of ribald
verse, self-authored or not. To those who listened, his words are
legend.
Jim
is survived by two brothers, Robert C. Chase of Falmouth and A.
Gregory Chase of Whiting, NJ, and his sister
Bronwen Bell of Union, NH. He is also survived by his
children, Deborah Chase and her husband Chuck
Cipoletta of Framingham, James Chase and his wife Collette
Chase Russell of Chelmsford, Martha Chase of Manchester-by-the Sea,
Rebecca Chase of Ipswich and Pamela Chase of Beverly;
five grandchildren, Diana and Leah Chase of Chelmsford, Michael
Krauser of Chelmsford, Emily Brown of
Gloucester and Katie Brown of Ipswich, and many nephews and nieces.
His
funeral services will be held 10 am Saturday, April 28, 2012 at the
Ascension Memorial Church, 31 County Street, Ipswich, followed by
interment in the New High land Cemetery, Ipswich and a gathering at
the Ascension Memorial Church for further remembrance and light
refreshment. Family and friends are all respectfully welcomed.
Visiting hours will be Friday April 27, 4 to 8 pm in the
Whittier-Porter Funeral Home, 6 High Street,
Ipswich. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions in his name may
be made to the BI Memorial Fund, c/o Ben Fabry, 19 Noble Hill
Road, Beverly, MA 01915 or a charity of one’s choice.
