Lee E. Chipman 1925 – 2022 HARPSWELL – Surrounded by loving family and neighbors, Lee E. Chipman, 97, of Allen Point Road, passed away at his home Sept. 18, 2022 – this being only a few yards distance from the very spot where he was born on Aug. 15, 1925, the son of Ralph L. and Mary (Smith) Chipman. Although born in Harpswell, his earliest years were spent in Poland, where he attended primary school, then in 1932 the Chipmans moved permanently back to the coast. Lee graduated from Harpswell Grammar School in 1939, then from Brunswick High School in 1943. Soon afterwards he was drafted into the army, and his WWII service included action in Germany. At the conclusion of the war, he was stationed in France. Upon returning home, Lee was hired as a farmhand at Coleman Research Farm in Brunswick, this being a stepping-stone to a lifelong career in poultry management and breeding research. His employment later carried him to Georgia, Arkansas, Tennessee, Maryland, and in his later years, at Arbor Acres in Connecticut. His dream of someday returning to his native Maine was fulfilled, when the company transferred him to their Lewiston office in 1988. Always dedicated to his work, Lee always went the extra mile—literally. Around 1954 a blizzard crippled the region, and in an era before the abundance of snow removal equipment, the highways were impassable for days. Fearing the loss of the flocks of birds at Coleman’s farm, he trekked several miles on snowshoes from North Harpswell to Brunswick, where he remained on duty until the roads were cleared. Lee always had a garden or two and was also a skilled woodworker. In his retirement he happily spent much of his time on his tractors, and with help from other family members, frequently mowed the extensive acreage on the ancestral property. Lee had the knack for storytelling, and recalling facts, figures, and dates – especially when it concerned any automobile he ever owned. He recently compiled his extensive car history that detailed how he wheeled and dealed, and what price he paid for each. In 1947 he took a spin on the newly opened Maine Turnpike, where he reached a speed of 100 mph that terrified his 85-year-old grandmother passenger. He first married Aroostook County native Marilyn Wardwell, who died in 1958, and second, Freida Bunker of New Hampshire, who died in 1997. Lee was predeceased by brother, Irving, and sister, Edith (Chipman) Marden. Survivors include sons Eric of Harpswell, and Scott of New Mexico; grandson, Miles Chipman (wife Traci) of New Hampshire; great-grandson, Tucker Chipman; brother, Merwin Chipman (wife Joanne) of Harpswell; and several nieces and nephews. A Celebration of Life will be held on Oct. 15 at Fellowship Hall at The Elijah Kellogg Congregational Church in Harpswell from 2 to 4 p.m. Please bring a dish to share. On Oct. 17, there will be a graveside service for the family. Arrangements are by Stetsons Funeral Home, 12 Federal St., Brunswick, where condolences, memories and photos may be shared with the family at http://www.stetsonsfuneralhome.com In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Lee’s name may be made to Harpswell Neck Fire and Rescue P.O. Box 8 Harpswell, ME 04079 or Chans Home Health and Hospice 60 Baribeau Dr. Brunswick, ME 04011

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