Frank Myron Chapman, 95, of Elkton, MD passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family on Friday, May 29, 2026. He was born in Arlington, Vermont on January 13, 1931, and was the son of the late Karl Milton Chapman and Gertrude Eileen Chapman.

Frank spent most of his childhood in South Wallingford, Vermont, working along side his family sugaring, beekeeping, farming, and helping his father on the railroad. As a boy, he also helped his dad build a deer camp in the Green Mountains, 2 1/2 miles from home.

In 1952 as a senior at the University of Vermont, he met the love of his life on a blind date. Frank and Helen were married on February 14, 1953, shortly before reporting to the Army during the Korean War. He was stationed stateside as a medic running the medical lab at an Army hospital in Waltham, Massachusetts.

After his discharge from the Army, Frank returned with his family to Delaware resuming his work, co-developing the complex properties of PTFE, PFA and FEP Teflon for the DuPont Company. He became an expert pioneer in the uses of Teflon. This led him to be relocated to California where he developed the first nosecone made of PTFE, incapsulating radar for military missiles. With his vast knowledge of Teflon, he relocated to Milan, Michigan, where he developed the ability to weld FEP Teflon and invented heat shrinkable FEP Teflon tubing. This revolutionized not only chemical pipe and tank lining, aerospace technologies, but became an absolute necessity in the pulp and paper industry. Later, he and his son incorporated Fluoron, which then went on to develop many more patents in the maritime and medical industry. Because of his vast contributions to world industries with the use of fluoropolymers, he was inducted into the “Plastics Hall of Fame” in 1988. True to his creative mind, even in the hospital, Frank continued to come up with and share new ideas of how Teflon could improve patient care.

Frank was passionate about flying and boating. As an instrument rated pilot, logging more than 2,000 hours, he most enjoyed flying single engine high performance aircrafts up the Hudson River to the valleys of Vermont. If he wasn’t flying he was boating, taking friends and family on cruises up and down the Chesapeake Bay. As a true outdoorsman, he always made time to be in the woods hunting and fishing, not to mention a good game of Rummy at deer camp.

Frank often said, “I’ve lived a good life, married a caring and beautiful woman, raised and been blessed with a loving family and amazing friends, traveled the world, built a beautiful waterside home on the Elk River facing the entrance of the C&D Canal, and working alongside my son for more than 30 years.”

His life exemplified his love of God and family, helping others, and having fun. Frank became a member of the church wherever he lived and contributed with time and tithing. His family was the center of his life, which he showed with his creation of Kiddie Day, purchasing a camper to travel across the country, buying a trampoline and above ground pool before anyone else had even heard of them. Frank helped anyone in need. He took people in, found them a place to live, helped them with transportation, and finding work. He believed that life should be joyful and found fun in everything he did. His motto was always, “Have fun!”

Frank is survived by his loving wife of 73 years; Helen Smend Chapman, children; Karen H. Fredricks (Harry), Lewes, DE, Patricia “Patti” L. Geary, Elkton, MD, Randall “Randy” F. Chapman (Cindy), North East, MD, Tamara “Tammy” G. Ciarlo (Vinny), Newark, DE, thirteen grandchildren, and twenty-three great-grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his 2 sisters and his son-in-law, Doug Geary.

Funeral service will be held 1 PM, Monday, June 8, 2026, at Elkton Presbyterian Church, 209 E Main St, Elkton, MD 21921 with visitation beginning at 12 PM. Interment with military honors will be private in Gilpin Manor Memorial Park, Elkton, MD.

Flowers are welcome; however contributions may also be made to I AM ALS, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, PO Box 14135, Washington, DC 20044.