Bruce Chapin Obituary

Bruce W. Chapin, 79, of Spring Hill, FL, passed away on July 6, 2025, at Tampa Bay Hospital in Spring Hill. He was born in Stamford, Connecticut in 1946 and relocated to Florida 25 years ago from Dover, New Hampshire.
Bruce was predeceased by his parents, Farnsworth and Juliette Chapin, as well as his brother, Malcolm Chapin.
He is survived by his sister, Cindy Chapin Merrill, and her husband, Peter Merrill, of Crossville, TN; his nephew, Stephen K. Merrill; along with two great-nieces and one grand-nephew, all of Cape Neddick, ME.
Bruce will be laid to rest at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, FL.
A proud graduate of Lenox School in Lenox, MA, Bruce went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Denison University and a Master of Science in Systems Management from the University of Southern California in 1983. He honorably served in the United States Navy, including the Submarine Service, and was a Vietnam veteran. His service included time aboard the USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) and as a plank owner of the USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685). Bruce later dedicated 25 years to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, where he worked as a Nuclear Shift Test Engineer and played a key role in developing and leading engineering training organizations.
Bruce had a passion for cruising, playing the piano, and collecting art. He was known for his quiet sense of humor-especially during the holidays, where he'd forgo gift tags in favor of a clever color-coded system. His deep love for music remained central throughout his life; he played multiple instruments, transcribed orchestral scores, and shared his arrangements and recordings on SoundCloud.
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