The last walk down the open fairways for the avid golfer has been completed with the passing of Girard J. Chaput 95, a longtime resident of Keene, NH, who passed away on Saturday, March 31, 2018 at the Cheshire Medical Center / Dartmouth Hitchcock, Keene.
His parents, Oscar and Diana (Desmarais) Chaput proudly welcomed their son into the world on September 9, 1922 in Peterborough, NH. He grew up in Troy and was a graduate of Troy High School.
Girard enlisted in the Army and served in the military police, stationed in the Panama Canal Zone during WWII.
Following his military obligations, Girard’s love of talking to people offered him a successful career in automobile sales for many years. First working with the former Woodward Motors in Keene, and later as the owner of the rambler dealership in Claremont, NH and then as owner of the Brattleboro Chrysler-Plymouth Garage in Brattleboro, VT. He was well known for his unique business cards with “Mr. Shep” imprinted on them.
He had a great love of the out of doors, especially during the springtime. He loved offering stories about his family and friends and was quite the family historian. He especially enjoyed sharing army stories. Girard was a longtime member of Brentwood Golf Course in Keene, and was one of the founding members to play the first round upon the opening of the golf course. His favorite indoor pastime was watching the college football games on Saturdays. He shared a special bond with his cat, Sophia.
Girard was a member of the William Marconi Italian Society and also a member of the Gordon Bissell American Legion Keene Post #4. He was a longtime parishioner of St. Bernard Parish in Keene.
He will be greatly missed by many, especially his daughter, Micheline C. Schubert and her, husband, Arthur, of Newfane, VT; three grandsons, Matthew G. McPhail and his wife, Jane, of Myrtle Beach, SC, Andrew J. McPhail of Townsend, VT, Joshua A. McPhail and his partner, Lindsey Pope, of Kensington, CT; five great-grandchildren, Katelynn A. McPhail, Adam McPhail, Jake McPhail, Isabella Ward, Connor McPhail; a great-great-grandson, Bentley McPhail; a sister, Collette Chaput of Swanzey, NH; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife of 64 years, Leontine (Coppola) Chaput on April 13, 2007; and two sisters, Stella Lockhart and Lorraine Hebert.
A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Friday, April 6, 2018 at 11:00AM in St. Bernard Church, 185 Main Street, Keene. Burial with military honors will be held in the spring in the St. Joseph Cemetery, Keene. Family and friends are invited to call on Thursday evening from 5:00 to 7:00PM at the Foley Funeral Home, 49 Court Street, Keene.
In lieu of flowers, for those who wish, donations may be made in Mr. Chaput’s memory to the Monadnock Humane Society, 101 West Swanzey Road, West Swanzey, NH 03446; or to a charity of one’s choice.
