James Bailey Chaplin

James Bailey Chaplin, known as Jim, passed away unexpectedly at the age of 77 early on the morning of May 27, 2021, from complications related to COVID-19. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend; his death leaves a gaping hole in the lives of all of us who were lucky enough to have known him: family, friends and colleagues from the South Florida legal community.  

Jim was born in Miami on July 7, 1943 to Charles Franklin Chaplin and Ruth Robbins Chaplin. He joined older brother Franklin Nichol, and the family later welcomed younger siblings Charles Robbins (“Robb”) and Bonnie Anne.  The family operated a plant nursery in Davie, Florida and a flower shop closer to home in Miami.  His father, Charles, obtained a patent for a now ubiquitous house plant known across the country as a “Tropic Snow.”  The Chaplin kids spent many summers and weekends working hard at the nursery, the flower shop and on newspaper routes so they could earn spending money and contribute to the family enterprises. 

After graduating from North Miami Senior High School in 1961, Jim attended Stetson University in DeLand, Florida.  He remembered fondly his time there as Commander of the Sigma Nu chapter, where he met lifelong friends, including James Terrell and Jack Sparks, among many others.  He participated in ROTC, in preparation for commission as an officer in the US Army. He also met and married Yvonne Thompson of Pahokee, Florida.  He then earned his J.D. at Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg.  During the summers in college and law school, Jim took to the open road, driving 18-wheelers for Tropical Plant Carriers.  He never lost his love of a good road trip, and later in life would frequently ask his children and grandchildren to accompany him on cross-country jaunts, which they loved and will miss.  He also continued to operate a large tree nursery in Davie until the 1990s.

After law school, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army’s Transportation Corps and was deployed to Vietnam.  While in Vietnam he operated a loading dock, utilizing his transportation industry experience overseeing the loading and unloading of military cargo vessels.  During the latter half of his deployment, he joined the JAG Corps defending accused soldiers in Court Martial proceedings.  By the end of his deployment, Jim had achieved the rank of Captain.  He had also been exposed to Agent Orange, which would later lead to his bouts with cancer in 1990 and 2017. 

After Vietnam, he returned home to his wife Yvonne, and his one-year-old daughter Susan Elizabeth, settling down in Plantation, Florida where he lived for many years.  Jim and Yvonne had two more children: Kimberly Yvonne and Charles Franklin.  Jim and Yvonne divorced in 1983 but remained devoted co-parents.

He began his legal career as a litigator with Spear and Deuschle, PA in Fort Lauderdale.  After a few years, he opened the Law Offices of James B. Chaplin. During this time his legal practice included a wide range of subject matter from real estate closings, wills and trusts, and civil jury trials.  He enjoyed practicing law but ultimately believed there was a better, more efficient way to resolve civil lawsuits.  This led to him starting Mediation, Inc. in 1986.  With the help of longtime friend and colleague, Judge Frank Orlando, who started a pilot mediation program which demonstrated the effectiveness of alternative dispute resolution, which led to a change in Florida civil procedure requiring mediation.  When Florida law changed in 1988 requiring referral to mediation, Mediation, Inc. was in a perfect position to grow and prosper.  

Almost instantly, judges and litigants alike embraced the mediation process, and Mediation, Inc. became the predominant mediation company in Florida.  Jim became known as the leader in the industry and was hired all over the country to settle complex litigation including major class action cases, multi-million dollar high profile defamation suits, product liability suits, and aviation crash suits.  In addition to that, he built Mediation, Inc. to a roster of up to 50 mediators.  He operated this business until the end of his life.  

On May 5, 2000, on a boat with friends and family under a beautiful starry sky, Jim married Nancy Elliton Hodges, whom he loved and cherished for the rest of his life.  Their house was always a beautiful and joyful gathering place for friends and family, and a favorite sleepover destination for their grandchildren. They loved waking up there and accompanying Jim to Dunkin Donuts or Costco on a Saturday morning. As they got older, he took them on road trips and annual treks to Idaho to see their snow country cousins.  They were the light of his life and they’ll always remember the adventures they had with him.  

Jim was preceded in death by his father, Charles Franklin Chaplin, and his mother, Ruth Robbins Chaplin Faulk.  Jim is survived by his wife, Nancy Chaplin; his siblings Frank Chaplin (Mary Ann) of Hollywood, Robb Chaplin (Janice) of Ponce Inlet, and Bonnie Chaplin Summerill (David) of Indialantic; his children, (a.k.a. The Beeswax): Susan Chaplin Worst (Benjamin) of Ketchum, Idaho; Kimberly Chaplin of Ft. Lauderdale, Charles Chaplin (Alecia) of Davie; his former wife Yvonne Myers (Thomas) of Plantation; his stepchildren, Chad Hodges (Melissa) of Oakland Park; and Nicole Hodges DiMattina (Robert) of Lighthouse Point.  His grandchildren loved their Pato/Papa: Lillian Worst, Luke Worst, Bailey Chaplin, Dylan DiMattina, Cruz DiMattina, Cameron Hodges, and Cutler Hodges.  Add to this numerous nieces and nephews who were always delighted to see Uncle Jim pull up to family reunions wearing his signature ball cap and bringing Diet Cokes, Better Cheddars (Pato Crackers) and Golden Delicious Apples.  

We’ve lost an extraordinary man; sharp and insightful, generous with his time and wise counsel.  It’s heartbreaking to realize that he’s not just in the other room taking a Chappy Nap.  We will take them from now on in his memory.

George Bernard Shaw said, “A happy family is but an earlier heaven.”  Jim was part of that for us, and we for him.  We loved him deeply and will miss him every day.

Memorial gifts may be given to Kids in Distress: https://www.kidinc.org/donate/

Funeral Services will be held at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, 5555 North Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, Florida on June 9, 2021 at 1:00 pm.