William D. “Pete” Chipman

William “Pete” Chipman, 81, husband of Patricia Reisen Chipman of Ipswich, died on Tuesday, February 16, 2021 in Salem Hospital from complications of COVID-related pneumonia.

Bill, or “Pete” as his family and many friends called him, was born in Amesbury, the son of the late Carlton and Marjorie Chipman.  He loved growing up in Amesbury’s Highland section.  Some of his fondest memories were of skiing on Gould’s Hill, skating on the town rink, playing football at Amesbury High, but most importantly the times he spent with his many friends.

 Pete’s professional life led him from construction jobs in Amesbury to towns as far away as Pierre, South Dakota, and places in between. His resume included working as a salesman for Ris Paper Company for thirty years to positions at Ipswich Shellfish and the Ipswich Country Club.

 Despite his love of Amesbury, Ipswich finally won his heart, and he spent many years enjoying all that Ipswich had to offer.  Anyone who knew Pete knew that he’d have two topics at Thanksgiving dinner, how the Amesbury High School and Ipswich High School football teams had fared against their holiday rivals.

 Pete enjoyed his spare time in a variety of ways that typically depended on the season. He loved to ski the mountains of New Hampshire, where he had met his wife, and they enjoyed over thirty years at their beloved second home in Jackson. Summers found him spending many happy hours on the local waters whether on his boat, scuba diving, clamming, or just catching some sun on Crane’s Beach and Plum Island. He most loved spending time with friends over a beer.

 In addition to his wife of fifty-four years, Pete is survived by his son Jay Chipman, his sisters-in-law Carol Reisen-Morse and her husband Jeff, and Jane Reisen Grimaldi and her husband Wayne, as well as his nieces and nephews Lisa and Arthur Rogers, Laurie and Jeff Simons, Jeffrey Lachance, Michael Lachance, Stephen and Cheryl Lachance, Chris Lachance, and their extended families. He is predeceased by his sister, Suzanne Chipman.  The loss of their “Papa Pete” is also mourned by his “bonus” children and grandchildren, Peter “Joey” and Susan Donaher and their sons Connor and Keegan, and Kathleen and Ted Spinale and their sons Joseph, Peter and Theodore.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date Arrangements are under the direction of the Whittier-Porter Funeral Home of Ipswich. In lieu of flowers, those who wish may make memorial contributions in his name to Coastal Connections, 35 Water Street, Amesbury, MA 01913 or to the Council on Aging, 25 Green Street, Ipswich, MA 01938.

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