Faith Chase, 95, passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 8, 2024, after a brief stay at Connecticut Hospice. She was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, on May 24, 1929, the fourth daughter of the late Everett and Hazel Hampton, in a close-knit family of seven siblings.
She attended Clark University and graduated in 1952 from the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study, a program that combined professional Nursery School Training with academic courses at Tufts College. She later served as Vice-President of the Executive Board of the Eliot-Pearson Alumni Association.
The themes of caring for others, innovation and social justice were woven through her life along with grace, wit and style; like brightly colored Kente cloth. She married Cambridge native WWII veteran Edward Chase. She was his Kappa sweetheart, and they built a family and life together for over 60 years.
She spent her working life dedicated to early childhood education. This launched a long career in Cambridge, Massachusetts promoting creative child-focused learning methods as the first African American teacher at Shady Hill School and as a pre-school admissions consultant at Buckingham Brown & Nichols School. She directed summer enrichment camps for inner-city children and developed luncheon discussion tables for children of color at Shady Hill.
She was a committed and passionate member of Christ Church Cambridge where she taught Sunday School, served on the altar guild and as a member of the tower bell ringers. She was also a member of the Committee of Blacks who guided the church to distribute funds to local Black organizations. She also served on several committees in the Massachusetts Episcopal Diocese and was an active member of the Union of Black Episcopalians.
Faith and Ed were known for their hospitality, welcoming new parishioners and Episcopal Divinity School priests to Cambridge. Their annual Christmas Eve open house brought together diverse friends from all walks of life.
Her legacy includes civic leadership as an original member on the Cambridge Civic Unity Committee formed to advise the City Manager on issues of race and class. She worked tirelessly as a “behind the scenes” mover and shaker in the Civil rights movement always speaking out for advancing racial justice and human rights. She traveled internationally to Haiti, Liberia, Ivory Coast and met with Bishop Tutu in South Africa.
She loved spending time with friends and family and regularly checked in with loved ones. Her hobby was sending beautiful cards for all occasions, as a result, she received cards regularly from friends until the end of her life. Never afraid to try something, she dove into new activities at her Assisted Living communities from painting, jazz, gardening, drumming, Tai chi, poetry to yoga. She was treasured for the respect and caring she showed to everyone she met, and as an inspirational trailblazer for us all.
She is survived by her sisters Hope and Carolyn; her children Edward Hampton (Kim), Stephanie Burgess (Bruce), Gretchen Vaughn (Earl), and Edward Chase II (Thandi); her grandchildren Christopher, Jieyoni, Sterling, Nia, Natalie, Kamille, Jasmine and Arianna; two great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews; and many, many friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Walter and Everett Jr., her sisters Lucille and Pricilla, and her beloved husband Edward Chase.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: Kamala Harris for President or the Shady Hill School — Faith Chase Fund for Teacher Training.
A memorial service for Faith Chase will be held Friday, August 30, 2024 at 11:00 AM at Christ Church, Zero Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. Services by Howard K. Hill Funeral Services, 1287 Chapel St, New Haven. To leave a message of comfort for the Chase family, please visit, www.hkhfuneralservices.com