Donald E. Chace

Donald E. Chace, 78, of Wakefield, died Sunday. He was the beloved husband of Rita (Papiro) Chace for 53 years. Born in Swansea, MA, he was a son of the late Harold M. and Yvonne L. (Roux) Chace. He was a graduate of Case High School in Swansea, where he played on the football, baseball and track teams. After high school he joined the US Navy and served honorably during the Korean War. Following his military service, he graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Mr. Chace worked at the MIT Lincoln Laboratory for nine years, where he worked on the US Space program. He then went to work for the Digital Equipment Corporation in Maynard, MA. He served as Plant Manager in Acton, MA, Puerto Rico, and Shrewsbury, MA. While he was at Digital he is credited with receiving three US patents for his work on electrical circuits. He retired in May of 1992 and started his own consulting firm, Chacer Consultants. In his spare time he enjoyed fishing, shell fishing, gardening and he also became a Master Gardener through URI. He was affectionately known to his family and friends as “Tookie”. Besides his wife he is survived by three children, Jeanne Marie Daniels and her husband Robert of Franklin, MA, John Chace and his wife Marta of East Greenwich, and Chris Chace and his wife Jennifer of Franklin, MA; five grandchildren, Hannah, Harry, Leah, Emma and Sarah; two brothers, Leonard A. Chace of Florida and Warren Chace of Virginia. He was the brother of the late John, Arthur, Harold, and Richard Chace. The funeral will be 8:45 AM Thursday from the Avery-Storti Funeral Home, 88 Columbia Street,, Wakefield, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 AM in St. Romuald Chapel, 61 Atlantic Avenue, Matunuck. Burial with Military honors will follow in Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery, Exeter. Visiting hours are Wednesday 4-7 PM. Memorial doantions may be made to CJD Foundation, PO Box 5312, Akron, OH 44334, www.cjdfoundation.org/donations.html.