Peter Chapin

Peter Chapin, former Butte resident and Montana Standard writer, died May 16 in Vero Beach, Fla., just three weeks after being diagnosed with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, a rare blood disease. He was 78. Peter was born Jan. 11, 1947, in Rochester, N.Y., the third child of Janette and William Chapin. His father was killed in a plane crash in 1962 when Pete was in high school. He earned a degree in English from the University of Denver—instilling his attraction to the West-- and served two years in the U.S. Army, training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., in early 1970. He began his journalism career in Rock Springs, WY, then came to Butte in fall 1974 and worked the next 10 years at the Montana Standard. He was in charge of the weekly entertainment section and wrote a humor column and features, often taking his own photographs. With his wife, the former Linda Lockmer, and their four children, Pete moved in the fall of 1984 to Deer Park, Wash., where he had purchased the weekly Tribune newspaper. He sold the paper in 1989 and he and the family returned to Butte where he again worked for the Standard 1990-96. After a divorce in 1997, he moved to South Florida "after dreaming of a palm tree and no snow", he joked with his kids and they teased him about it ever after. But he stayed. He lived and worked at papers in various cities, including Lakeland, before settling permanently in Vero Beach, where he was fond of spending time at the Botanical Garden (lots of palm trees!). Peter was a history buff and frequently traveled to Civil War battle sites in the eastern U.S. and other historic places. At the time of his death, he had just completed a mystery novel set in Butte in the 1920s. He last came to Butte in September of 2024 to do research for his book and see former co-workers and friends. He said at the time that he felt more at home in Butte than most other places he'd lived, but it was just too cold! His brother said that in his quiet way, Peter was a special guy with a personality that didn’t easily reveal his wonderful qualities. He is survived by his children, Peter Chapin of Denver, Holly Hughes of Caldwell, Idaho, Anne Chapin of Billings and Eric Chapin of Tampa, Fla., and by his sister Anne Kennedy of Canandaigua, N.Y., and brother Bill Chapin of Daytona Beach, Fla. Ex-wife Linda died in May 2024. Cremation has taken place and memorial services are pending in New York and Florida.

Tributes

Peter Chapin

January 11, 1947 - May 16, 2025