The Rev. James Sherman Chase

10/08/2002

The Rev. James Sherman Chase, 85, of South Egremont died yesterday morning at Fairview Commons in Great Barrington, where he had resided since February 2001. Born in Mechanic Falls, Maine, on May 13, 1917, son of William Holmes and Susie Piper Chase, he was a graduate of Colby College and Andover Newton Theological Seminary. He was ordained into the American Baptist Church on May 13, 1942. He served as a chaplain in the Navy during World War II, serving in the Asian Pacific theater. He later served in the Korean War. He served as a minister in North Egremont and South Egremont for 29 years and at the Reformed Church of West Copake, N.Y., for 13 years. He also served in Lemoine, Maine; at the Navy training station in Zion, Ill.; in Tunbridge, Vt., and at the naval station in Newport, R.I. In the 1950s, he was a founding member of "Inspiration Time," daily five-minute talks on radio station WSBS-AM. A member of the board of trustees at Fairview Hospital for many years, the hospital dedicated its new diagnostic imaging center in his honor in 1991. He was also a member of the Massachusetts Baptist Association, the Ministers Groups in South Berkshire and Columbia, N.Y., counties. He was a founding member and former trustee of Hospice of Southern Berkshire, now HospiceCare in the Berkshires. He also was a member of the Mount Washington emergency response team and served as secretary for the South Egremont Volunteer Fire Department. Chase was a member of the Rising Son Lodge 7 in South Royalton, Vt., and the Cincinnatus AF & AM, the Blue Lodges and the Monument Chapter RAM in Great Barrington. He received his 50-year award in 2001. He received the distinguished service medal and the Benjamin Hurd Jr. medal from the Massachusetts Grand Lodge. He was a charter and honorary member of the Kiwanis Club, where he was Citizen of the Year. He was Man of the Year for the Monterey Grange, and was pastor emeritus of the North Egremont Baptist Church. He married his wife, the former Helen Worthington, on June 10, 1942. They lived in South Egremont until his retirement, when they moved to Mount Washington. They hosted an annual Advent service for the town and were supporters of the annual Mountain Fair and local affairs. She died July 18, 1996. He leaves four daughters, Ardelle Gile of Waldoboro, Maine, Hilda Pracht of Providence, R.I., Ruth Van Tassel of South Egremont and Mary Chase-Ziolek of Chicago; a son, James Chase Jr. of Alexandria, Va.; 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. FUNERAL NOTICE -- The Rev. James Sherman Chase died Oct. 8, 2002. He also leaves his grandchildren, Tim, Ann, Mark, Daniel, Laura, Garret, Nathan, Susan, Adam, Emily and Andrew; four great-grandchildren, Shane, Molly, Isaac and Jordan. He was predeceased by two sisters, Iola Hicks and Margaret Nash. Services will be conducted Saturday, Oct. 12, at 2 at the Reformed Church of West Copake, N.Y., with the Rev. James Anderson and the Rev. Bob Boynton officiating. Burial will follow in the Cross Roads Cemetery, Mount Washington. The family will receive friends on Friday, Oct. 11, from 4 to 7 at the FINNERTY & STEVENS FUNERAL HOME in Great Barrington. A Masonic Prayer Service will be conducted by the members of the Cincinnatus Lodge AF & AM on Friday at 7 p.m. The public is invited to a Service of Remembrance on Thursday, Oct. 10, at 11 at the Fairview Commons Nursing Home in Great Barrington, conducted by the Rev. Arthur Kaufman, the Rev. James Anderson and St. Peter's Eucharistic Minister, Dr. John Hassett. Memorial contributions may be made to the Fairview Hospital Emergency Room Fund through the funeral home, 426 Main St., Great Barrington, MA 01230. Remembrances, memories and reflections may be sent to the family through www.finnertyandstevens.com

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