Philip B. Chapman passed away at Vernon Green on January 1, 2023. He was born on August 25, 1924, at the J.B. Thomas Hospital, in Peabody, MA to Clarence E. Chapman Sr. and Irene Putnam Trask. He lived with his family in Danvers, MA until 1943.

Philip moved to Plymouth, NH and married Alice Mitchell in 1944. In 1946, he became a carpenter to Carl Mitchell. In 1947, he became a shoe salesman calling on dealers in Maine, NH and VT working four days a week while working the rest of his week for Carl Mitchell as a builder.  

In June of 1949, he was hired as an assistant buyer for Dunham Brother’s Co. of Brattleboro, VT for 15 years, ultimately becoming the company’s merchandise manager. He was appointed treasurer of the Brattleboro Community Building and Armory (1950-51). He was then elected to the Brattleboro Union High School Board, he also served as a representative to the newly formed Representative Town Meeting. Philip also served as a Rotarian from 1952-57, serving as president from 1956-57.

In 1952, he became trustee of All Souls Church becoming the Chairman of the board for six years. In 1966, Philip became a director of the NH Unitarian Association, serving as president in 1968.

In 1964, he was hired by Windham College of Putney, VT, as a Business Manager and Treasurer. Philip was the “key stone” in the financing building of the “White Brick Campus.” He worked at Windham for six years. In 1970, he married Elsie Mills Rathbun in Elkton, MD. That year, he also joined Electrosonics, in Spofford NH, working there for 15 years.  

They ultimately built a new manufacturing plant in Technology Drive, in Brattleboro, at which time he convinced his friends and associates that it would be best to sell the business. In 1972, he was elected to the Keene State Industrial Advisory Committee. 

He and his wife moved to Ogunquit, ME and became CEO and Treasurer of Homisco, Inc. It was here that he agreed to work for a year to build their national sales force, establish a line of credit and settle a long running lawsuit, and hired a fulltime replacement for himself. In January, he was called back to supervise a substantial stock sale for Homisco. He later retired and returned to Ogunquit, ME full time. He served as a private consultant to several electronic firms and became a full time Maine and New Hampshire Real Estate agent and broker for eight years. At age 72, he came out of retirement and became a fulltime currier for Path Labs (Lab Corp of America). He later stopped working to take care of his wife. They moved back to the Brattleboro area to be closer to family.

Philip graduated from Danvers High School and attended Wentworth Institute. He completed the Dale Carnegie Course in 1952 and took numerous courses from the Brattleboro Adult Education. He was particularly pleased to complete three summers of courses at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business. He secured his licenses as a Real Estate Broker from the Universities of Maine and New Hampshire.  

One of Philip’s hobbies was designing and building of houses. Several of those homes were built in Brattleboro, VT, Plymouth, NH, and Southern Maine. He was particularly proud of building a house in Brattleboro without the use of power tools.  

After returning to Brattleboro, in 2007, he was elected as a Town Meeting Member and appointed to the Sewer Project Committee and then serving as its president. He was then appointed to the Police and Fire Building Committee.

Philip leaves a son, John “Jack” (Debra) Chapman, and a daughter, Nancy Sprague both of Brattleboro, step children, Michael (Joyce) Rathbun of Brattleboro and James (Renee) Rathbun of Jacksboro, TN, seven grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Philip was predeceased by his parents, brother, Clarence E. Chapman, and a grandson, Tyler W. Chapman.

A private graveside for family will be held at the New Westminster Cemetery in Westminster, VT this week. 

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Fenton and Hennessey Funeral Home, 55 Westminster Street, Bellows Falls, VT.