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A Celebration of Life service will be held for Theresa Marie Chapdelaine at 10 AM on Saturday August 5, 2017 at Holy Family Church, 601 Tremont St, Duxbury MA. Interment of ashes will take place at Mayflower Cemetery immediately following the service. A gathering for friends and family will be held at Duxbury Senior Center, 10 Mayflower St, will following the burial. Terri, 61, passed away in Rockport, Maine on February 17, 2017. She was born on March 9, 1955 in Boston, Massachusetts to the late Theresa (Lehane) Chapdelaine, and Leo Chapdelaine.
Terri attended school in Quincy and Duxbury, Massachusetts and graduated from Duxbury High School in 1972. She attended college and lived on Cape Cod for several years after graduation before eventually settling in Camden, Maine. Later in life, Terri chose to pursue a teaching career. She attended the University of Maine, Orono, participating in the Onward Program for non-traditional students and proudly graduated in 2003. Along the way, Terri gathered many dear friends that she stayed in contact with over the years and kept close in her heart.
After college graduation, the adventure of a lifetime began. Terri packed her car and left her beloved Maine. With maps in hand and a plan in her heart, she drove to Kenai, Alaska. After completing student teaching and additional training through the University of Alaska, Terri accepted a teaching position in the Inupiaq village of Buckland, Alaska. And it was there that Terri found her true calling in life. She taught in many capacities at the Nunachiam Sissauni School and immersed herself in the culture of the Inupiaq people. Her love and admiration for everyone she worked with, the children she taught, and all the members of the community was obvious to anyone who was fortunate enough to hear her stories. She poured her heart and soul into teaching and guiding, volunteering and supporting. The love and acceptance, so freely given to Terri by her Buckland ‘family’ and the Kenai ‘family’ that she returned to most summers, will be forever appreciated by her ‘lower 48’ family. She truly loved Alaska.
With much sadness, Terri retired from teaching in Alaska in 2015, but she was excited to be returning to New England. In August of 2016 she settled in Rockport, Maine to begin the next chapter of her life. Her untimely passing has left all who knew her with a great sadness, not only for ourselves, but for those who had yet to share in the light of her love and kindness.
In addition to all the wonderful friends she made along her way, Terri is also survived by her father, Leo Chapdelaine (Shelby) of Duxbury, Massachusetts and Ponce Inlet, Florida; and siblings Denise DeLano (Bud) of Iron Mountain, MI; Mary LaBonty (James) of Hooksett, NH; Jeanine Chapdelaine of Hooksett, NH; Chris Chapdelaine (Missy) of Benton, Arkansas. Her nieces and nephews brought her great pride and joy. She loved them all dearly. They include Benjamin (Corissa Grabowski) and Megan DeLano; James, Melissa (Alex Mann) and Christopher LaBonty; Nicholas, Collin and Connor Chapdelaine and Bree Brandon. She is also survived by numerous cousins, aunts and uncles and extended family in Ireland that she cherished.
The family respectfully requests that should you choose to honor Terri through a donation, that you consider donating to her Buckland School. An educational memorial to benefit the students will be established in her name. Please forward to Nunachiam Sissauni School, PO Box 91, Buckland AK 99727.
Arrangements have been made with Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home of Rockland, Maine.