George Wigglesworth Chase

1931 - 2018

George Wigglesworth Chase passed away in Concord on Sunday, August 12, 2018, after struggling with dementia for the last few years of his full and productive life. He spent his final months under the care of the skilled staff at Havenwood who enjoyed his tender kindness and generous heart.

Born in Canton, Mass. in 1931 to Barbara (Stone) Chase and John P. Chase, George attended Milton Academy and Harvard and then served two years in the U.S. Army Signal Corps prior to starting his long teaching career. Before arriving in Concord in 1962, he earned his Masters at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and taught at Taft School in Watertown, Conn. Always a learner at heart, he also took courses at Dartmouth, U. Maine, U. Alaska, NHTI, and in his later years at LINEC. At St. Paul's, he immersed himself in the boarding school life: teaching, coaching, and running a dormitory. His many years of devoted service at St. Paul's inspired some of his former students to honor him with the George W. Chase Prize, awarded each year to an SPS student who best exemplifies his leadership, enthusiasm, and care for others.

The art of teaching was his passion, and his teaching was hardly confined to the formal classroom. Whether coaching in the rink or on the fields, hiking a trail in the White Mountains with the Outing Club, or discussing an issue at a board meeting, George always managed to engage and gently challenge those around him.

In 1953, he married Sarah Price Winlock, and by 1963, their family included five children: Wendy, George, Cassie, Sam, and Nancy. George was a devoted father, and later, grandfather and great-grandfather. Even in his final years, he maintained his childlike enthusiasm for hopping on a sled for a daring run with grandchildren or fully engaging and enjoying an intense conversation about turtles with a great-grandchild.

Throughout his life, George excelled in athletics. He played baseball and hockey at Harvard, scoring the first goal in the inaugural 1952 game of the now-famous Beanpot. Though always humble about his athletic achievements, his prowess pitching horseshoes should not go unmentioned. He would often lure guests to play a friendly game and then quickly start pitching ringer after ringer.

Even with the exhausting schedule of a boarding school teacher, George found time for community service. He served as Treasurer and Chairman of the New Hampshire Heart Association for 18 years, was a Scoutmaster in Concord, a NH State Legislator, and a board member of the Concord Community Music School. He was, as well, on boards of environmental organizations, including Audubon and 5 Rivers Conservation Trust.

He is survived by his wife, Sally; three sisters, Barbara Harwood, Sally Flynn, and Laura Crocker; a brother, Jack; his children: Laura (Wendy) Chase and her partner Mike Sutak; George III and his wife Elibet; Katharine (Cassie) and her husband Chris MacLean; Sam and his wife Michelle, and Nancy and her husband, Paul Hill. He also leaves behind ten grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

A celebration of his life will take place at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 8, 2018 at the First Congregational Church in Hopkinton.