Carol V. Chapman

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Carol Vachowski Chapman, who died peacefully on August 18, 2025, after a brief battle with an aggressive cancer. Born on January 14, 1945, in Gardner, MA, Carol lived a life full of love, adventure, and devotion to her family and passions.

Carol is survived by her brother, John Vachowski, and his spouse, Kathy, of Lovell, ME; her daughter, Sarah Chapman, and her partner, Christopher Pillsbury, of South Portland, ME; her son, Andrew Chapman, and his spouse, Leslee Peterson, of Portland, OR; and her beloved grandsons, Jacob Andrew Lufkin of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, and Samuel Thomas Lufkin of Biddeford, ME. She is predeceased by her parents, John Stanley Vachowski and Carleen Laura Vachowski of Bridgton, ME.

In 1954, Carol's family moved to Naples, ME, and later to Bridgton, ME, where she spent her formative years. She was an alumna of Bridgton High School, graduating in 1963, where she was an avid skier and worked as a sales clerk at her father's business, Town and Country Clothiers. Carol pursued her passion for the natural world, earning a bachelor's degree in botany from the University of Maine in 1967. It was there that she met her future husband, Arthur Chapman.

Carol and Arthur began their married life in Philadelphia, where Arthur pursued his optometry studies and Carol worked at Temple University. The couple welcomed their daughter, Sarah, during this time. They later moved back to Maine, settling in Standish, where Arthur started his optometry practice. Carol embraced her roles in various jobs, including substitute teaching and working at LL Bean and Blue Cross Blue Shield. Their family grew with the birth of their son, Andrew, in 1976.

Carol's love for reading, boating, and caring for rescue greyhounds were cornerstones of her life. She cherished her close relationship with her mother, Carleen, and together they shared many memorable vacations. In 2014, Carol relocated to Scarborough, ME, where she spent her final years surrounded by the warmth and love of her daughter Sarah and her family.

A memorial service celebrating Carol's life will be held at Hobbs Funeral Home on Cottage Rd, South Portland on Saturday, August 23rd, 2025. Visiting hours will begin at 11am with the memorial service at 1pm.