Henri J. Chapdelaine

Henri Chapdelaine, 66, of Manchester, died suddenly July 26, 2000, at the Elliot Hospital. He was born in Goffstown on July 16, 1934, the son of Rock and Alice (Benoit) Chapdelaine. Henri was a lineal descendant of the Abenaki Patsuiket Indians who lived along the Merrimack River in antiquity. A Manchester resident since 1938, Mr. Chapdelaine was a 1952 graduate of St. Anthony High School and attended St. Anselm College and Florida State University. A four years Air Force veteran, he operated Radio Ezeiza at Buenos Aires Airport while attached to the U. S. Embassy. A design engineer for Daven Co., and Tel-Labs, he became Chief Engineer at R.C.L. Electronics then Advertising Manager for Rustrak/Gulton Industries. He was also night engineer for WKBR. Later, Mr. Chapdelaine served as Associate Editor of ''Le Travailleur'' then spent 25 years editing and publishing French books. He was the author of many electronic books, a dozen French language novels, several parish and local histories, scores of magazine articles and many genealogy books. He was Science Editor of Xaverian Publications for many years and a translator for Les Cahiers du Verseau, a French publishing firm. He was a former 3rd degree Knight of Columbus, Council 4687 of Del Rio, Texas, and a Blue Mantel Knight of the Order of France. Since 1953, he was licensed as an Extra Class radio amateur with call letters W1ZPA, and also LU2DFY in Argentina. He was a member of the American Radio Relay League and also held a lifetime FCC First Class Radiotelephone License. Mr. Chapdelaine was a member of the Third Order of St. Francis, St. Augustin Parish and a parishioner of St. Anthony Church since 1943. He was a carded tribal member of the Abenaki of Mazipskwik (Missisquoi) in Highgate Center, VT, and a proud St. Francis Indian. Charter member # 5, he was one of the founders of the American-Canadian Genealogy Society of Manchester and was also involved with BlueWolf Studio & Trading Post in Manchester. Family members include five brothers, Paul Chapdelaine of Londonderry, Richard Chapdelaine, Maurice Chapdelaine, Donald Chapdelaine and Roland Chapdelaine, all of Manchester, two sisters, Rita Wood of Amado, Arizona and Ann Soucy of Hudson, several nieces, nephews and cousins. SERVICES: Calling hours are at the Phaneuf Funeral Homes & Crematorium, 243 Hanover Street, Sunday from 1 to 4 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Monday morning at 10 o'clock in St. Anthony Church. Committal services will be held in St. Augustin Cemetery on Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock. Donations may be made in his memory to a charity of one's choice.