Douglas H. Chapin
Douglas H. Chapin
ALLEGANY — Douglas H. Chapin, 73, of Four Mile Road, passed away Thursday (Oct. 2, 2025) at Absolut of Allegany, after a battle with cancer.
Born Feb. 24, 1952, in Olean, he was the son of Paul and Arlene Turner Chapin. On May 6, 2006, at the Free Methodist Church in Allegany, he married Debra Turybury Caldwell, who survives.
Doug was a 1970 graduate of Allegany Central School. Soon after graduation he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and received training at NTC Great Lakes in Illinois. He then served at Whiting Field in Milton, Fla., with Training Squadron Two.
He worked as a trucker for many years, mostly in the dairy industry and retired as a milk hauler for DFA (Dairy Farmers of America) in Farmersville, a farmer-owned dairy cooperative.
His hobbies included a love of flying airplanes, bass fishing and John Deere tractors. He was a member of the Allegany American Legion and also the VFW in Olean.
He is survived by his wife, Debra; a daughter, Dama McElderry of Smyrna, Ga.; two grandchildren, Annah and Judah; two-stepchildren, Christopher Caldwell of Olean and Chad (Kristin) Caldwell of Portville; a step-grandson, Chase; two sisters, Carolyn Crawford and Beverly Geyer, both of Allegany; and nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by a brother and sister-in-law, Albert and Ellen Chapin and their daughter Alanna in 1988; and a brother-in-law, Gene Geyer in 2025.
The family welcomes friends to a memorial visitation from 11 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, at the Casey, Halwig & Hartle Funeral Home, 3128 W. State Road, Olean. A memorial service will begin at noon at the funeral home with Rev. Andrew Haskins officiating, as well as military honors accorded by the Allegany American Legion Ritual Team. Burial will follow in Mount View Cemetery Veterans Field of Honor in Olean.
Memorials, if desired, may be made to the Allegany American Legion, the Olean American Legion, or to the Olean VFW.