Final Salute

Harold George Chaffee

June 6, 1926 – October 6, 2020

Born June 6, 1926, in Littleton, Colorado to Franklin George Chaffee and Lela Mae (nee Hunt). Harold, the youngest son of eight, lived in various places throughout the Denver area, graduating from Englewood High School in May of 1944. Immediately he and several classmates joined the US Navy where he trained as a SeaBee, building airfields in the Philippines. After the war, he entered college at Colorado A& M, present-day Colorado State University. While there, he played on the football team as a quarterback and kicker, a nationally ranked punter, Harold had offers to play professionally. Harold graduated with an education degree and began his teaching and coaching career in Holyoke, Colorado, later teaching and coaching in Cozad and Sidney, Nebraska. He coached twice in the Shrine Bowl, once as an assistant and as a head coach, later officiating a Shrine game.

In 1967 he began his coaching career at Nebraska Wesleyan University. And what a career- a Coaching Legacy- it was! Between 1967-1994 Harold served NWU wherever he was needed: six years as the Athletic Director, and many others as head and assistant coach in football, track and field, cross country, tennis, and golf. While head football coach, he led the program to 55 wins and a NIAC championship in 1976. As head golf coach he coached the team to five NIAC titles and finished in the top 20 at the NCAA Division II Championships three times. He loved to play golf, continuing to play well into his 80s, and Harold never stopped coaching golf – always willing to share tips with every golfing partner he had! Harold was inducted into the NWU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1990, and Nebraska Wesleyan University named a practice field after him in 2003. Harold was active in the Capitol City Kiwanis and a faithful member of Southgate United Methodist Church.

Harold married his life partner of almost 50 years, widow Frances (nee Reiman) Mark on December 20, 1970, becoming a second father to her children: Richard (Becky) Mark, Chicago, IL; Janet (Tom) Etmund, Chippewa Falls, WI; and Leslie Wright (SO Matt Biggs), Roca. Sharing their Dad’s loss are his children: Constance Crowder of Denver, CO; Kathleen (Al) Kuehl, Madison, WI; Michael (Michelle) Chaffee, Lincoln; and daughter in law, Barb Chaffee, Salina, KS, and sister in law Virginia Meints, Tecumseh. Grandpa Chaffee will be deeply missed by 17 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and generations of Nebraska Wesleyan student-athletes who called him “Coach”. Harold was preceded in death by his parents, all of his siblings, and his son, Mark Chaffee.

A memorial service of Harold’s life will be at 10:30 am Saturday, October 10, at South Gate United Methodist Church, 3500 Pioneers Blvd, Lincoln, with Rev. Amy Slater officiating. Attendance is limited by Covid to 20 people. The service will be live-streamed and a link may be found at www.SouthGateUMC.org. Cremation, no visitation. A larger celebration of life will take place on the campus of Nebraska Wesleyan University on May 15, 2021. Memorials gifts can be given to the Harold and Frances Chaffee Endowed Scholarship Fund at Nebraska Wesleyan University. Mail to: Advancement Office, Attn: Chaffee Memorial, Smith-Curtis 310, Nebraska Wesleyan University, 5000 Saint Paul Avenue, Lincoln, NE 68504. Condolences: www.bmlfh.com or may be sent to Frances Chaffee, 5801 Norman Rd, Lincoln, NE 68512.

To plant trees in memory, please visit our Sympathy Store.
Published by Lincoln Journal Star on Oct. 8, 2020.