Obituary of Karen G. Chapin

Karen Gran Chapin had a vivacious nature, bright eyes, warm smile, and easy laugh that made her approachable to everyone. Her generous spirit showed in her freely-given compliments, compassion, and empathy for others. She always made time for writing notes or calling friends and family. She was a loyal and true friend. Her conversations often ended with a heartfelt “I love you.” She listened with an open heart, gave and expected kindness and decency, and was accepting of all people. People knew that they mattered and were cherished. Her positivity and joie de vivre were contagious, and sustained her during difficult times. A frequently-used expression (and adopted by many) when she was preparing to leave the house for any reason was “I can be ready, or I can go!” She was more assertive and persistent than was first apparent, and her quiet strength was notable. Another one of her favorite expressions (which she beautifully copied into calligraphy) was “bloom where you are planted.” And she did. Motherhood was her favorite role, and her children always felt her unconditional love and support. She led by example the importance of being honest, doing one’s best, and being resilient when things don’t always go well. She imparted her love of nature and music. Her children fondly remember falling asleep to the sounds of her playing piano. She let them play freely and pursue their own interests, but also facilitated activities like making terrariums, watching ducklings hatch, and practicing spelling words or lines for a school play. Reading, music, conversation, and creating were clearly important ways to spend one’s time. She was a welcoming and loving mother-in-law and grandmother who found joy observing what interested others in their worlds. Music was a cornerstone in her life. She was an accomplished musician with perfect pitch; she played the piano, organ, guitar, flute, recorder, and harpsichord, and sang. She was always playing, sharing, listening to, planning, or teaching music in some form. For four decades, scores of piano students came to her house for lessons where they learned piano, but where they also knew they had a confidante who truly cared about them. Singing Christmas carols at her home every year was a highlight for many friends. After she moved to Maine, she brought enjoyment to others when she played the piano weekly in her apartment complex atrium and occasionally at a local hospital lobby. She never ceased to be curious, amazed, and spiritually connected to the wonders of the natural world. She stopped to appreciate sunsets, reflections, cloud formations, fireflies, stars, crashing waves, unique tree root patterns, the sound of the wind, fields of lupine. An avid collector, her coat pockets would hold the day’s finds of natural items: stones, shells, sea glass, acorns, pinecones, birch bark, flowers, leaves, sand dollars, moss, sea urchins. Often, she artfully combined items into beautiful creations that were sometimes sold, but mostly were given away and always treasured: flower arrangements, gorgeous wreaths, pressed flower note cards, sea urchin paperweights. Her talents graced the walls of friends and family, church mantels, and the weddings of her three children. There was usually a pair of clippers close by for roadside and backyard pruning, a well-worn fanny pack by the door or on her person for gathering sea glass and smooth rocks, and a spare bag or two for found treasures in her car. She had numerous friends join her on trips to flower markets or beach excursions for desired items. Many large hard-covered books in her home were no longer meant for reading but for pressing flowers and leaves and delicate stem designs. The oldest of four, Karen was born in 1941 and raised in the Washington DC area in a loving family surrounded by music and nature. She was Valedictorian of her HS, attended Gettysburg College, married, and raised three children in the Boston MA area and then in Exeter NH. After receiving her Bachelor of Music degree from UNH, she moved to Beacon Hill, Boston. There she worked as a landlord, real estate broker, and piano teacher. Later, she and her second husband settled in Gloucester MA where she continued teaching piano. They enjoyed many wonderful summers on Campobello Island. She moved to Portland ME in 2014 following an Alzheimer’s diagnosis to be closer to her two daughters. Karen peacefully died on May 14, 2021, five days after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke. Her three children remained at her side throughout the week. On what turned out to be her last day at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House, her bed was rolled out into a lovely courtyard to enjoy a particularly beautiful day. The four of them spent all afternoon outside with the sun shining on her face, a soft breeze blowing, birds singing, and the flowers blooming. Karen was predeceased by her parents Ralph M Gran and Lillian C (Kaus) Gran. She will be missed greatly by her children Laura Cushman Sturdevant (David) of Belfast ME; Gardner Mark Cushman (Josephine) of Silver Spring MD; Sarah Cushman Leonard (Edward) of Portland ME; her grandchildren Tucker, Emma, Seth, Sam, Shane, Seifer, Evan, Drew; sisters Eileen Eastham (Chuck) of Rutherford NJ; Lenore DePace (Joseph) of Elmhurst NY; brother David Gran (Patrice) of Stockton CA; nieces Jessie, Kristen, Lorin; and many longtime friends. The family wishes to thank the attentive kind staff at Fallbrook Woods in Portland ME where Karen lived and was supported during the pandemic, the wonderful and accommodating staff at Maine Medical Center where she stayed briefly following her stroke, and the truly special staff at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough ME where she received excellent and tender care and where her grateful children were able to be by her side during her final days. In keeping with her desire to tread lightly upon the planet, aquamation (flameless cremation) was done by Riposta Funeral Home. A celebration of life event will be announced at a later date. Please feel free to leave comments here for the family. If you would like to send a private message to the family, please send it to Sarah’s email: tednsadie@gmail.com. If you are comfortable doing so, we encourage you to share (also to Sarah’s email: tednsadie@gmail.com) a fond memory, story or photo(s) for us to compile a memory book. In lieu of flowers, please consider in Karen’s honor: -- a donation to Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org) -- a donation to Gosnell Memorial Hospice House (hospiceofsouthernmaine.org, choose “Gosnell” in the Designation menu) -- planting something and appreciating this beautiful Earth -- supporting a public school music program near you