Obituary: Former Township Official Dean Chace Dies at 84

Dean William Chace died at his home in Princeton on October 20 after a lengthy illness.  He was 84.

Born in New York City on May 2, 1927, Mr. Chace served in the U.S. Navy during World War II before earning his bachelor’s degree from Princeton University in 1950.  He obtained his law degree from Temple University and was a member of the bar in the District of Columbia.

Mr. Chace spent his entire professional career with RCA and General Electric, and served as a senior vice president of GE and RCA’s licensing management and as the president of the engineering laboratories at RCA, Ltd. of Zurich, Switzerland.  After his retirement in 1990, he continued to work as an independent patent and licensing consultant.

Passionate about his alma mater and the town of Princeton, Mr. Chace and his wife settled in Princeton in 1957.  He was active in local church, non-profit, and civic affairs in the Princeton area and participated in more than two dozen community organizations.

A Princeton Township committeeman and deputy township mayor from 1970-1972, Mr. Chace was active on numerous local government committees.  He was a member of the Princeton Consolidation Study Commission in the late 1970’s and also served on the Regional Planning Board of Princeton and the Princeton Civil Rights Commission.  As chairman of the Princeton Joint Recreation Commission, he was instrumental in getting paddle tennis courts installed at Community Park.

Mr. Chace was a deacon, elder, and trustee of Nassau Presbyterian Church and served as a trustee for the Princeton Community Foundation, Corner House, the Stonybrook-Millstone Watershed Association, and the Trenton chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

Active in the Rotary Club of Princeton, Mr. Chace also served as the director of the American Anorexia Association of Philadelphia, president of the Princeton Youth Baseball Association, the director of Republican Club of Princeton, the regional vice-president of the Princeton University Class of 1950, and was a member of the steering committee for the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad.

An avid golfer, Mr. Chace served several terms as president of the Springdale Golf Club.  Many good friends and wonderful memories were created on the fairways and greens of Springdale.  He loved the outdoors and enjoyed spending time at his summer home on Canada Lake in New York.  His children and grandchildren will remember “Pop Pop” for his dedication to his family, his quick wit, and his sometimes irreverent sense of humor.

Mr. Chace is survived by his wife of 58 years, Enid (Sue) Andersen Chace; a daughter Elizabeth and her husband Lt. Col. David Donahue USMC of Lawrenceville, NJ and San Diego, CA; a son Christopher (Kip) Chace and his wife Margaret Rennolds Chace of New York City and Quaker Hill, N.Y.; a son Scott Chace and his wife Nathalie Chace, of London, England and Quaker Hill, NY; his grandchildren Mary (Molly), William, Nicholas, Blythe, Annabelle, and Chloe; his sister Shirley Jane Chace of Maine, and his five nieces and nephews.

Donations in memory of Dean Chace may be sent to Camp Dudley, 126 Dudley Road, Westport, NY 12993 or Special Olympics of New Jersey, 2 Princess Road, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648.  A celebration of Mr. Chace’s life will be held Wed., December 21 at 11 a.m. at Nassau Presbyterian Church.