Beatrice Chase

“When God thought of mother, he must have laughed with satisfaction, and framed it quickly – so rich, so deep, so divine, so full of soul, power and beauty, was the conception.”  (Henry Ward Beecher)

It is with profound sadness that we announce the death of our beloved mother, Beatrice Hodgdon Chase, 79, of Round Pond.   She passed away peacefully on July 10, 2021, just two weeks after being diagnosed with cancer.   While her death was unexpected, its efficiency was true to character.  Our mother was realistic that her illness was terminal, and she had no desire to suffer or put her family or friends through the resulting misery.  Just five days after the diagnosis, she was transferred to Gosnell Hospice House.  

Surprisingly, those last days were not in haste and she stayed with us for over a week.  The better angels of hospice explained that dying is a journey and that our mother was taking her time so that she could properly reflect on her life.

Perhaps she thought of our father, Leverett Dewey Chase, to whom she was married for 57 years.  Together they raised a family, created successful businesses, traveled the world, and served as pillars of the Bristol community.  Ensuring my father was cared for upon her passing was literally her dying wish.  Hopefully she knows her wish has been fulfilled.

Perhaps she thought of her children (Jefferson Chase, Jennifer Chase, and Jessica Mateosian) and our respective spouses (Lara Brekenfeld, Laurent Poole, and Timothy Mateosian).  She was an exceptional mother and forged a special and distinct relationship with each of us.  That all of her children could be with her during her final days surely provided great comfort.  Hopefully she knows how much we all adored and respected her. 

Undoubtedly, she thought of her beloved grandchildren (Lhuillier, Beatrice, Rocco and Maxwell).  She loved being their “Nana Bea” and performed the role to perfection.  From cooking to sewing, brisk walks to sleepovers, days at the beach to nights at the theater, our children cherished every moment with her.  Hopefully she knows that she will live on in their hearts forever.

Perhaps she thought of all the dear friendships that she created throughout her lifetime.  People were naturally drawn to our mother because of her engaging personality, contagious curiosity, and positive disposition.   She so enjoyed meeting new people that she often booked the middle seat on the airplane so she could talk to people on both sides of her.  Hopefully she is making new friends in heaven and reconnecting with those that passed before her. 

Perhaps she thought of her beloved Treasure Cay, their winter home for over thirty years that was sadly destroyed by Hurricane Dorian in the fall of 2019.  Losing Treasure Cay was extremely difficult for our parents and the start of a challenging two years.    Hopefully she knows we will rebuild Treasure Cay in their spirit - including The Mating Fish Bar.

She definitely did not spend any of her remaining time thinking about politics or other divisive topics.  In contrast, our mother approached people with humility and in good faith. She held her own beliefs but considered those with opposing views to be fundamentally decent and well-intentioned souls.  Hopefully others will follow her lead.

Our family would like to thank Sheila McLain, who both my parents thought of as their fourth (and deservedly favorite) child.  While we have lost our mother, we have gained a sister - which we suspect mom planned all along.  We would also like to thank Heather, Chris, and Norma Leeman, who took over the management of Harbor Ice Cream, which our mother owned and operated for 35+ years.  The Leeman’s have done an exceptional job and my mother was so proud to have them carry on the Harbor Ice Cream tradition.

Through the years, our parents supported various educational initiatives for the children of Treasure Cay, specifically the arts program which was entirely funded by donations.   In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in our mother’s honor to help provide the children of Treasure Cay with art supplies.  https://gofund.me/a00d13f8. Hopefully the treasure of her creativity and kindness will live on in the hearts of the children she loved to help. 

A private memorial will be held in the fall to honor our mother’s blessed life.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Beatrice Chase, please visit our floral store.