Chester E. "Chet" Gapinski, 91, of 8 W. Main St., Groton, Massachusetts, formerly of Second Avenue, Johnsonburg, died early Monday morning, July 18, 2016 at Washoba Valley Medical Center in Ayre, Massachusetts following a short illness.

He was born May 1, 1925 in Johnsonburg, son of the late Joseph and Josephine Butts Gapinski.

He married Dorothy Marasco on June 4, 1947 in Holy Rosary Church, Jonsonburg. She died Feb. 24, 2011.

"Chet" resided in Groton since 2015 and had lived all his life in Johnsonburg. He was a 1943 graduate of Johnsonburg High School. He was a member of Holy Rosary Church of Johnsonburg, Sons of Italy, Knights of Columbus Council 2007, VFW, Rolfe Sportsmen's Club and Central Hose Company.

He was a WWII Navy veteran serving in the Pacific Theater as a Radioman Second Class with the F D AD Amphibious Company.

He was employed by Penntech Papers for 43 years before retiring in 1988.

He is survived by one daughter, Renee, Mrs. Terry Lau of Merrimack, New Hampshire; one son, Chester J. "Rusty" Gapinski of Groton, Massachusetts; six grandchildren, William Gapinski and his wife Elena, Abigail, Mrs. James Cahill, Michael Lau, Jennifer, Mrs. Michael Lucarelli, Katherine Gapinski and her fiance Christopher Nyren, and Elizabeth Gapinski; three great-grandchildren, William Chester "Liam" Lau, Adeline Cahill and Michael Joseph "MJ" Lucarelli; and one sister, Agnes Tassone of Johnsonburg.

In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by a son, William Gapinski; his brothers, Tom, Edward, John, Walter, Bernard and Robert Gapinski; and his sisters, Helen Micklitsch, Genevieve Muroski, Sophie Lenze, Margaret Petzold and Vera Zambanini.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Chester E. "Chet" Gapinski will be conducted Thursday, July 21 at 10 a.m. at Holy Rosary Church, Johnsonburg. Interment will be in Holy Rosary Cemetery, Johnsonburg.
Friends will be received at the Anthony F. Ferragine Funeral Home, 401 Chestnut St., Johnsonburg on Wednesday evening, July 20 from 6-8 p.m.

Military honors will be accorded by the Johnsonburg Servicemen's Detail. Detail members are asked to assemble at the funeral home Thursday morning at 9:15 a.m.