Obituary of Catherine F. Chapman

Catherine "Kay" Chapman of New Britain died on May 15, 2009 after a courageous battle with lung cancer. She was the daughter of the late Arthur and Catherine Mansfield Feeley of New London, CT. A devoted wife, mother and grandmother, she is survived by her husband of 51 years, Stanley Chapman. Born November 1, All Saint's Day, in New London, CT, she graduated from The Williams School, New London, and St. Agnes School of Nursing in West Hartford. Upon her graduation, she was a nurse at the Newington Children's Hospital, now part of the Connecticut Children's Medical Center. She was a devoted nurse to many children with severe orthopedic disabilities and remained life long friends with her fellow nurses. Beginning in the late 1970's she worked as a special education teaching assistant at the Northwest Village School of the Wheeler Clinic, Bristol. She spent 15 years assisting lower school children with social, behavioral and learning disabilities. Many New Britain residents will remember her fondly from three decades of work with the City of New Britain Registrar of Voters where she worked in numerous capacities with federal, state, and local elections. In recent elections, she was a moderator at the New Britain Senior Center. She also assisted over the years with identifying eligible voters and registering them to vote. Most recently, she was a member of a canvassing team that visited residential facilities for the elderly to encourage their involvement in upcoming elections. Throughout her retirement, she worked with the City of New Britain's Boards of Education in the middle and high schools assisting with the annual administering of standardized tests. She was involved with several church and community groups over the years. She was a member of St. Francis Church, New Britain, for over four decades where she served in numerous capacities, including serving as president of the Ladies Guild and as an officer of the "Mr. & Mrs. Club". Always willing to lend a hand for upcoming social and fundraising events, she organized many bake sales, book fairs, Christmas fairs and other events. She gained much enjoyment through her involvement with the Y.W.C.A., the Farmington Valley Girl Scout Council, and the Parents Associations at the former Stanley School and St. Francis of Assisi Junior High School. She also enjoyed sailing on Long Island Sound with her husband aboard their boat, "C-scape", and traveling to Scotland, England and Ireland to visit her ancestors' homelands. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her daughters, Deborah Chapman of Southington, Connecticut, Pamela Chapman of Newport County, Rhode Island, and a son-in-law, and two grandchildren. She was pre-deceased by her sister, Helene Feeley. Funeral services will be held Tuesday May 19, with a Mass of Christian burial, at 10:00 A.M. at St. Francis of Assisi Church 1755 Stanley St. New Britain. Visitation will be at the Farrell Funeral Home 110 Franklin Sq. New Britain from 9:00 A.M. until the time of Mass. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to American Cancer Society 538 Preston Ave. P.O. Box 1004 Meriden, CT 06450.