John Robert Chapin

Madison, SD

1940, 2765, Fechner, SCS-6,

John Robert Chapin, 11/2/1920 - 9/15/2011

John was born Nov. 2, 1920, the second son of Murdock Archibald and Marion Parkin Chapin, at Madison, SD. He graduated from Winfred High School in 1939. He served in the CCC during the Great Depression and worked at Western Electric in Flint, MI before returning to South Dakota and attending Radio Repair School in Aberdeen. He then enlisted in the Army where he served in the Signal Corps. He received basic training at Camp Crowder, MO and Fort Lewis, WA. He was sent to the islands of New Guinea. He served as a radio repairman and a courier for the UP and AP during the war trials in the Philippines. He served from January of 1942 until January of 1946. Upon his discharge from the army he attended Yankton College at Yankton, SD on the GI bill. He graduated in June of 1950. John married Marjorie Wallner of Yankton in December 1948. After graduation the couple moved to Manhattan Beach, CA. where their only child and daughter was born. John was employed at Propulsion Research of Santa Monica and North American Aviation in Downey, CA. as a mathematician. At this time he attended classes at UCLA on computer science. A career move was made when John accepted a position as a computer analyst at Strategic Air Command at Offutt Air Base, Bellevue, NE. He retired after 24 years. John was employed by the University of Nebraska at Omaha for 3 years. After living in Papillion, NE. for 30 years the couple retired to San Benito, TX in 1987. In 2009 the couple returned to Papillion due to failing health to live with family. John is survived by his wife of 63 years, Marjorie, daughter Leslie and husband Ken Ritter of Papillion, and two grandsons, Matthew Ritter and wife Rachel of NC and Alex of Papillion, as well as a brother, Lawrey H., of Glendora CA and a niece and nephews. His parents and older brother William A. preceded him in death.

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