Debra Trainham Chapin, adored wife, mother, and grandmother; award-winning artist; lover of nature and gardening; and skilled storyteller, passed away on Nov. 29, 2023, surrounded by her loving family. She was 73.

Born in West Carthage, New York, Deb attended Watertown (NY) High School. It was as a teenager in Watertown that Deb met Bob Chapin, a fateful meeting that forged 54 years of marital bond and the birth of her five cherished children. In the 1980s, Deb and Bob left New York and headed west, first residing in Glendale, AZ, before permanently settling in Burnsville, MN.

Deb was a lover of art and nature. She studied art at SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Binghamton. After raising her five kids, Deb poured herself back into her art. She served as board member and president of the Minnesota Watercolor Society. In her studio at the Minnesota River School of Fine Art, Deb created masterful works of art. With a particular expertise in watercolor, Deb’s spirit will live on in her indelible brushstrokes.

Deb was an avid birder. She cherished nature hikes in the Minnesota River Valley and the many bird species that graced her birdfeeders. Their home peacefully situated in the woods; the woods were a part of her. When developers threatened the future of the woods, Deb helped halt the development to preserve the woods for generations to come.

Deb had a green thumb. She kept lush gardens, a passion she passed along to her children. Deb also enjoyed traveling with her children across the U.S. and even made three trips to Bali (Indonesia). Deb was also a former board member of the La Leche League in AZ and NY.

But all personal pursuits took a backseat to family. It was their wellbeing that Deb prioritized. Nothing made Deb prouder than seeing her family thrive. As a wildly imaginative person, she was adored by her grandchildren. Her engaging conversations, her unwavering support, her meaningful advice, her gentle soul. Deb’s presence will forever be felt by her husband, children, and grandchildren.

She was one of a kind.

Deb was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas and Eleanor Trainham, and brothers Douglas and Matthew. Deb’s legacy will live on through her husband, Robert; children, Jeff, Kelly (Chris), Mark (Elena), Lisa (Ryan), and Jenny (Brandon); grandchildren Isadora, Ivan, Max, Mark, Aiden, Devin, Emerson, Berkeley, Landon, and Milena; and sisters, Mary Jane and Kristy.

A Celebration of Life for Deb will be held on June 1, 2024, at a location to be determined. A special thanks is extended to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The Chapin family is eternally indebted for their support as Deb bravely fought cancer for five years. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in Deb’s memory. Please see the LLS link below for more information and updates.

Please check back on this page in mid January for a time and location for the celebration of life. 

Published on December 3, 2023