Chapin Carpenter died Oct. 14, 2011, at his home in Washington, D.C. He had long suffered from pulmonary fibrosis.
Chapin was born March 24, 1928, and graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy. At Princeton he majored in history, participated in Triangle Club, and belonged to Charter Club. A sojourn as a bank trainee was followed by Army service from September 1950 to June 1952.
He then worked for Life magazine, becoming publishing director for Life’s Asian edition. After Life’s demise in 1972, Chapin became senior vice president of the Magazine Publishers Association, a consumer-magazine trade group.
Chapin was a member of the vestry at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church in Washington.
His marriage to the former Bowie Robertson ended in divorce. His survivors include his wife of 32 years, Eleanor Fulton Carpenter; four children from his first marriage, Mackenzie Carpenter, Camilla Carpenter ’78, Sophie Carpenter, and five-time Grammy Award-winning folk singer Mary Chapin Carpenter h’49; three stepchildren; and 15 grandchildren. The deepest sympathy of the class is sent to them all.