Carl Chase, 77, and Susan Chase, 75

Brooksville, Maine

Theirs was a life lived together – fully. Susan was born in 1944 in New York City, N.Y., to Frances Chester Jones and Edward Jennings Becker. Raised in St. Louis, Mo., she was the first of five children. In 1962 she graduated from John Burroughs High School with a strong foundation in sculpture. From 1962-66, she attended Newcomb College in New Orleans, La., with a double major in art history and sculpture.

Carl, born 1941 in New Haven, Conn., to Mary Anderson Chase and Epes Dixwell Chase, was the first of seven children. He grew up in Norwalk and Wilton, Conn. He attended Wilton Public School through ninth grade, and then finished his high school education at Phillips Exeter Academy. He left Exeter for a year to work on the Norwegian freighter Gunvor Brøvig, as a deck boy, returning to graduate in 1960. Carl continued at Harvard University, graduating in 1964 with a BA in music. Two summers were spent as a counselor at Alamoosook Island Camp in Orland, Maine, where he first met Susan. In 1964, Carl moved to New York City, to enroll at Bank Street College of Education, where he earned a master’s degree.

It was the end of the summer of 1965 when the sparks first flew between Susan and Carl. Carl was skipper of schooner Alamar at Alamoosook Island Camp and Susan was returning to Alamoosook to pick up her younger sister, Alison. The following school year Susan left Newcomb College and they married Jan. 15, 1966. She joined Carl in NYC for the rest of that school year and studied at Art Students League, Pratt Graphics and Greenwich House Pottery. They both returned as counselors at Alamoosook Camp that following summer. Autumn found them in New Rochelle, N.Y., living on board the newly purchased schooner Tyrone, for the winter. Their daughter Jennifer was born March of ’67, and in May they set sail around the world.

After reaching Guyana they returned to Maine in 1968 and settled in Camden. Susan made sculpture, while Carl worked at Bald Mountain Boatworks. Their son, Nigel, was born Oct. ’69. That summer they lived and worked on Hurricane Island, for the Outward Bound School, and bought the ketch Saorsa. In 1971, they moved to Brooksville and bought and rebuilt the schooner Nathaniel Bowditch for sail training for youth. During these years Carl discovered “pan” (steelbands) sailing in the Caribbean, and began making pans in his backyard. He started Atlantic Clarion Steel Band in 1974, performing on the steps of the post office in South Brooksville. Susan founded and taught at Brooksville Nursery School. In 1974, they built their off-the-grid home on Horseshoe Cove. Carl opened a boat shop with his brother Peter Chase in South Brooksville, following which he shipped out as captain of Harvey Gamage, Young America and R/V Westward. Meanwhile, Susan apprenticed for Ron Pearson (goldsmith) on Deer Isle, from 1975-79, and then went out on her own, opening Harbor Studio in South Brooksville.

In the fall of ’81, they moved to Woods Hole, Mass. Susan started an art program at Falmouth Academy, then moved with the headmaster to Cape Cod Academy, started the art program there, and taught until 1991. She showed at Handworks Gallery, Chesterfield, Mass., taught at Falmouth Artist Guild, as well as finished her BA from University Without Walls. Susan took classes at Harvard, and from 1989-91 attended the University of Southern Massachusetts, Dartmouth, Mass., for a master’s degree in sculpture. From 1978-86, Carl was the full-time nautical science teacher at Sea Education Association (S.E.A.) and shipped out as captain of the R/V Westward. After a trip to Trinidad in ’87, Carl met Roland Harrigan, who taught him how to properly make and tune pans. He quit sailing for S.E.A. in ’86, and wrote and published his textbook “Introduction to Nautical Science.” After temporarily swallowing the anchor, Carl made steelbands his livelihood, playing gigs, starting school programs and making and selling pans, as Susan finished up her master’s.

In 1991, they finally returned to their home on Horseshoe Cove. Susan showed her sculpture at Leighton Gallery in Blue Hill, and Turtle Gallery in Deer Isle. She taught at Bay School and directed Blue Hill Adult Ed. at GSA. In 2013, she opened Sculpture Woods in her backyard. Carl continued with Atlantic Clarion Steel Band, and started a community steel band through the Adult Ed. program at George Stevens Academy (GSA), which became Flash in the Pans. Carl was eventually hired by GSA to teach pan in the school. Carl continued to direct Flash in the Pans until he retired in 2017. In 2005, Susan and Carl bought Ruth Ann II, a sardine carrier from Eastport. They rebuilt her and took their last long voyage, cruising down the Intracoastal Waterway from 2006-07, selling her in 2012, and buying a small lobster boat, Annie, on which they enjoyed picnics on the islands.

Carl and Susan, after making a joint decision, ended their lives on Oct. 27, 2019. Holding hands, fingers entwined, they swallowed sleeping pills, and were found sitting in their favorite spot in their home, looking out over Horseshoe Cove.

Carl and Susan are survived by their two children, Jennifer Bontie Chase and Nigel Philip Chase, and four grandchildren: Perry, Zephyr, Misty and Lucy. Susan is survived by her sister Alison and brother Jim; she was predeceased by sisters Joan and Ann. Carl is survived by brothers Eric and Andy, and sisters Arria, Lisa and Josie. He was predeceased by his brother Peter.