Douglas McCall Chapin Sr.

Douglas McCall Chapin October 29, 1940 – May 3, 2024 Douglas McCall Chapin passed away on Friday, May 3rd at Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, Florida from complications of a stroke suffered while on a family visit. He was 83. Doug was born in Atlanta, GA on October 29,1940 to Lloyd Walter Chapin and Carolina McCall Chapin, where he attended North Fulton High School, played basketball, and excelled in science and mathematics. A resident of Falls Church, VA since 1968, he is survived by his beloved wife of over sixty years Joan Kay (Stewart), his brother Lloyd Walter Chapin Jr. and wife Louise (St. Petersburg, FL), his children Douglas McCall Jr. (Minneapolis, MN), Jennifer Kay (Gainesville, VA), Timothy Stewart (Tallahassee, FL), and Andrew Vincent and wife Regina (Fairfax, VA). “Grandpa Doug” is also survived by eleven amazing grandchildren; Ellen, Sarah, Sydney, Christopher, Justin, McCall, Liam, Oliver, Tamsin, Eamon, and Rhys, all of whom were blessed by his smile and brilliant blue eyes, love for their accomplishments, and cheers at their sporting and musical events. Doug attended Duke University as a Navy ROTC student where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1962 in Electrical Engineering. While in naval service, he earned a master’s degree in 1966 in Applied Science from George Washington University. After retiring from the Navy, he went on to earn a PhD in 1968 in Nuclear Studies in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University. Doug was an industry leader and luminary in the field of engineering. During his years in the service, he worked as part of the Naval Reactors Program to speed the development of the “Nuclear Navy” under Admiral Hyman Rickover. After the Navy, he joined the DC-area engineering firm MPR Associates, Inc. and embarked on a five-decade career that saw him work around the globe and eventually rise to lead the company as a Principal Officer. Among his many notable awards and achievements, Doug was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2002, awarded the prestigious Don Miller Award from the American Nuclear Society in 2014, and tapped as part of an international group to analyze and develop recommendations for the Daichi nuclear reactor in Fukushima, Japan after it was severely damaged in by an earthquake and tsunami. As a freshman at Duke, Doug attended a social at which he met “Joanie” Stewart of Massillon, OH. Smitten at their first dance, he always said he knew immediately that she was “the one”, and they married in December 1962. To watch them dance together was to see a love and union that wowed family and friends alike. Over their six-plus decades together they established a loving home in Falls Church, became longtime congregants at the Graham Road United Methodist Church, and were fixtures in the Westwood Park community. While they loved their kids and grandkids dearly, their passion was exploring the world, visiting over forty countries over the decades. Among the highlights were Machu Picchu, African safaris, swimming in the Amazon River, and extensive travels in New Zealand and Australia. They always returned with presents for kids and grandkids, large numbers of pictures and mementos, and stories of Joanie charming the locals and Doug navigating the roads. Doug was afflicted by and recovered from polio at a young age, which tempered his spine, yielded a caring spirit, and pushed him to be active for his whole life. An avid sportsman, he loved playing basketball in his youth, long distance bicycling in mid-life, and daily walks in his later years. After retirement, he became active with Rebuilding Together of Arlington/Fairfax/Falls Church, which works to build and repair homes in order to provide safe housing for seniors in those communities. Doug enjoyed bringing his engineer’s eye and work ethic to job sites. Doug instilled the love of sports in his children and grandchildren, suffering through years with Duke University basketball until the championships started to flow, enjoying the great Joe Gibbs years of the Washington NFL Team, and celebrating the Stanley Cup championship for the Washington Capitals. But it was baseball’s Washington Nationals that captured his heart after their move to DC in 2005, with their World Series triumph in 2019 bringing joy to him that the entire family remembers well. Even after suffering his stroke, Doug could tell you in amazing detail about the Nats players and how they were playing. A Celebration of Life is scheduled for Thursday, May 16 at National Funeral Home at National Memorial Park at 7482 Lee Hwy, Falls Church, VA 22042. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Rebuilding Together at https://rebuildingtogether-aff.org/donate/