Add a Memory
Send Flowers
Make a Donation
1933 - 2019
1933 - 2019
Obituary
Guest Book
Jim passed away peacefully on August 24, age 86, his wife, Nancy Scarton Chaplin holding his hand. Born on March 20, 1933, to the late James Crossan Chaplin III and Gretchen Magdalen Brown Chaplin, Jim was a lifelong resident of Sewickley, Pennsylvania. Jim was an investment professional, community leader, oenophile and fierce Pittsburgh Steelers fan. He graduated from Princeton University in 1955 and served his country on the DEW line in the Arctic Circle as a 1st Lieutenant in the United States Air Force from 1956 to 1959. Devoted to his hometown, Jim served on the boards and as an officer of the old Sewickley Post Office Corp., the Sewickley Cemetery, and the Leet Township Municipal Authority. His life was enriched by music, books, travel, friends, family and a long line of very good dogs, including Percy, Zorro, Moose, Muscles, Farley and Tupper. Jim was preceded in death by his daughter, Laura Jennings Chaplin; his former wife, Carol Cushing Chaplin; and his sisters, Joan Chaplin Waters and Gail Chaplin Barry. In addition to his wife, Jim is survived by his sister, Sandra Chaplin McCarthy and her husband, Dennis; son, William Craig Chaplin II; grandson, James Hepburn Chaplin; stepdaughter, Elizabeth Preston Mullaugh; stepchildren, Bruce and Nancy Rankin and their children, Foster, Charlie, Ben and Will, and Gordon and Kelly Rankin; nieces, nephews, and his former wife, Tinker Chaplin Whitaker. A Celebration of Jim's life will be held on Sunday, September 29, 2019, at Allegheny Country Club at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, followed by a reception. Donations may be made in Jim's memory to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Sewickley Public Library, or the Sewickley Cemetery Foundation. Arrangements by COPELAND'S OF SEWICKLEY.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
3 Entries
Erik Wagner
April 20, 2020
A very fine man. Though I didn't know him well, it was a pleasure knowing Jim Chaplin.
Wherever there were music and the arts, Jim could be found.
Donate in Memory
Make a donation in memory of your loved one.
Add photos
Share their life with photo memories.
Plant trees
Honor them by planting trees in their memory.
Follow this page
Get email updates whenever changes are made.
Send flowers
Consider sending flowers.
Share this page
Invite other friends and family to visit the page.
Charlotte & Henry Beukema
September 3, 2019
We were sad to read of Jim's passing. He will be missed.
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
September 1, 2019
Our hearts go out to the family at this sorrowful time.
Showing 1 - 3 of 3 results
702 Beaver St, Sewickley, PA 15143
The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.
Read moreWhat kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?
Read moreWe'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.
Read moreIf you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.
Read moreLegacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.
Read moreThey're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.
Read moreYou may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.
Read moreThese free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.
Read moreSome basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.
Read more