Delford J. Chapin

Delford Junior Chapin was born in southwestern Minnesota near Pipestone on July 4, 1918 to Grant and Zoe Chapin.  The Chapin's already had two children, Joyce and Melvin.  Zoe's maiden name was Telford so they changed the T to D and that's how he got the name Delford.  The family moved to North Dakota soon after Delford was born.  When he was three years old, they bought a farm east and south of Beroun.  They took a train to Beroun and stayed overnight at a hotel. The next day they hired someone to drive them out to the farm.  Their cattle and belongings were shipped by train to Beroun also.  A younger brother Max was born soon after.  Delford attended Clover Hill school which was next door to the farm.  The teacher boarded at the Chapin home and as a teenager Delford would go over to the schoolhouse to start the fire on the cold winter mornings. He worked on the farm with his Dad and hired out to work for other farmers around Pine City.Delford married Clara Marquardt in October of 1940.  He continued to work for farmers and then he and Clara bought a farm west of Pine City.  They worked hard clearing the land and building a new house and barn.  Delford was proud to have the first automatic barn cleaner in the area.  In 1957, they bought land from Arnie and Jeanette Nelsen, 3 miles west of Pine City and built a house.  They had an auction and quit farming.  Delford worked various jobs around Pine City.  Delivering fuel, construction work, mowing ditches along the highway, and home remodeling jobs were some of the things he did before retiring in 1980.  After retiring, he continued to do some carpentry work, he drove people to clinic and hospital appointments, he was an usher at church and he and Clara took care of her mother and aunt for several years.  He was an avid vegetable gardener, liked to fish, and built many shelves and pieces of furniture for his house.  He and Clara traveled for several years, visiting family and friends in other states.  Clara passed away suddenly in June of 2000.  Though Delford and Clara had no children of their own, there were several nieces and nephews who were like their own children.  The Nelsen family next door was like a family to him as well.In January of 2001 Delford married Leona Anderson.  He wanted to travel, but after he and Leona drove once to Arizona, he realized he no longer cared to drive long distances.  Delford and Leona had 14 good years together, attending many social events around Pine City and being active in the community.  After marrying Leona, he became part of her family.  He enjoyed being grandpa and later great-grandpa to many grandchildren and they enjoyed him.Delford fell walking on the sidewalk in Pine City on September 5 last year.  He has been at the Lakeside nursing home in Pine City most of the last 10 months.  He stared improving in March but then had a mild heart attack June 5.  He fell and broke his hip and arm July 5 after celebrating his 96th birthday the day before.  He was placed in hospice care and then passed away July 12.Delford was preceded in death by his first wife Clara, brothers Max and Melvin Chapin and sister Joyce Chapin.He is survived by his wife Leona Anderson Chapin and her daughters Kathleen (Joel) Swinborne of Bemidji, MN., Colette (Jim) Sapp of Brooklyn Center, MN., 8 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, sisters-in-law Martha Marquardt of Pine City, Hope Marquardt of Minneapolis and several nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.  Funeral services are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Thursday, July 17 at the Pine City Evangelical Free Church Lighthouse.  Visitation is scheduled from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. Wednesday evening at the Swanson Funeral Chapel and 1 hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.Interment will be in the Birchwood Cemetery of Pine City.