Lawrence "Larry" William Chapman

GARDNER - Lawrence “Larry” William Chapman, 85, of Scarborough, Maine, formerly of Gardner, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on Monday, August 24, 2026, surrounded by his loving family.

Larry was born in Gardner, MA on September 20, 1940, the son of Irving and Helen (Marsh) Chapman. Larry “Chappie” attended local schools and graduated from Gardner High School in 1958. While at Gardner High School, Larry was a member of the State Champion Gardner High Swim Team all four years and he was co-captain both his Junior and Senior years. During his Senior year, Larry was the Treasurer of his Class, a member of the Sports Committee, and voted Best Dressed.

After graduation, Larry worked as an orderly at Heywood Memorial Hospital and earned his Associate’s Degree from (the former) Worcester Junior College.

After college, Larry joined The United States Navy thus continuing a family legacy to serve one’s country. During WWI, Larry’s father and two uncles served in the Navy and his uncle served in the Army. In February of 1964, Larry trained in the U.S. Naval Hospital Corps School in Great Lakes, Illinois. He was stationed in Pensacola, Florida until 1966. Larry continued to serve in the Naval Reserve until 1969.

Upon his return to Gardner, Larry married Elizabeth “Betsy” Awdycki in 1968. Larry worked as the bookstore manager at Mount Wachusett Community College and Betsy was an elementary school teacher. Larry and Betsy bought a house on Conant Street where they raised their daughter, Amy Elizabeth, born in 1973. Larry, Betsy, and Amy enjoyed celebrating holidays and taking trips to the family’s summer house on Cape Cod. Betsy passed away in 1982.

On June 29, 1985 Larry married Francina LaPlante after moving to Maine a few months prior. Francina, her daughter, Angela, Larry, and his daughter, Amy, became a family. They lived in the North Deering section of Portland. In addition to celebrating special events on Curtis Road, the four of them enjoyed their Friday night dinners with Italians from Eddie’s Variety Store.

Larry worked in various places. His longest and one of his most enjoyable was at Cole-Haan Shoes in Yarmouth, Maine. He was a shipper of men’s shoes and accessories. While there he started the Annual Cole-Hann Cup Golf Tournament. After his retirement, Larry and Francina moved to Zephyrhills, FL in 2000. While in Florida, Larry filled his days driving people to airports and doctor’s appointments. Being the social person he was, Larry thoroughly enjoyed this job.

Larry and Francina moved back to Maine in 2002. He worked as a courtesy driver for local hotels, was an assistant at the Pro Shop of Sable Oaks Golf Course, and a starter at Nonesuch River Golf Course.

Larry was an avid reader, particularly of books on transcendentalism. His favorite author was Henry David Thoreau and his favorite book was Walden. He also loved reading non-fiction books, mainly those of history, lighthouses, and birds. Another one of his great interests was listening to classical music. His favorite composer was Ludwig Van Beethoven. Larry enjoyed taking long walks. Some of his favorite places to walk were Dunn’s Pond, Long Pond, Walden Pond, and Hinkley Park.

Larry loved golf. He was a member of many golf courses, including his hometown course, Gardner Municipal, Cranberry Valley in Harwich, MA, and Riverside Golf Course in Portland, ME. Larry enjoyed playing with family, friends, colleagues, and people he met on the course. Larry and his best buddy, Bob Gilman, completed two golf fundraisers raising money for Cancer Research. Larry could also be found on mini-golf courses teaching his daughter how to putt. When he wasn’t playing golf, he enjoyed watching golf tournaments in-person or on television. Larry once caught a ball thrown from Arnold Palmer.

In his later years, Larry became a skilled photographer of places and nature. His favorite subjects were lighthouses, birds, and flowers. Larry could be found on the waterfront in the Old Port or at Portland Headlight selling his handmade photographs and bookmarks at his stand, “By Larry.” Larry also enjoyed making bookmarks for his daughter Amy’s students and her colleagues. Larry took beautiful photos of his family at various get-togethers. He loved taking photos of his granddaughters, Thileigh and Aleigh, and in doing so recorded milestones in their lives.

Larry was very proud of his sobriety. At the time of his passing, Larry had recently celebrated 55 years of sobriety.

Larry was predeceased by his parents; his brother, Parker Chapman; his first wife, Betsy Chapman; his sister-in-law, Anne Chapman; his brother-in-law Don DeRice; his nephew, David Chapman; and his dearest friends, Bob and Mary Lou Gilman.

Larry is survived by his wife of 41 years, Francina M. Chapman; his daughter, Amy Turra, and her husband, Bruno, of Beverly, MA; his step-daughter, Angela Fauth, and her husband, Brian, of South Portland, ME; his brother, Hugh “Mickey” Chapman, of Gardner, MA; his two granddaughters, Thileigh Kasprzyk and Aleigh Fauth, both of South Portland, ME; his brother-in-law, John Awdycki, and his wife, Ann, of Gardner, MA; his sister-in-law, Janit DeRice, of Scarborough, ME; and his many nieces, nephews, and friends that are family.

A Celebration of Life for Larry will be held at The Rock Church, 66 Gorham Road, Scarborough, ME on Friday, September 11, from 4:00 - 7:00 pm.

Funeral Services for Larry will be in Massachusetts on Friday, September 18th. Calling hours will be from 9:30 - 11:30 with a service following from 11:30-12:00 at Mack Family Funeral Homes, Gardner Chapel, 105 Central Street, Gardner, MA. The Committal Ceremony for Larry will be at 1:00 pm at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 111 Glenallen Street, Winchendon, MA.

The family wishes to extend a special thank you to the Maine Veteran’s Home in Scarborough, ME, for their excellent care and compassion for Larry during his 3 ½ years there. The staff, residents, and families, especially of A Unit, became part of Larry’s, and his loved one’s, extended family.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Maine Veteran’s Home, 290 US Route 1 in Scarborough, ME, The Thoreau Lyceum, now Thoreau Society at ThoreauSociety.org  or the Alzheimer’s Association of Maine