Chad Stuart Masi died unexpectedly of a cardiac event July 19, 2017 at his home in Charleston, SC, where he lived with his mother, Donna Masi.
Born in Franklin, NH, October, 17 ,1969, the son of Donna and Edward Masi, he was raised in Alexandria, NH, until he entered the Army after graduating from Newfound Memorial High School (Bristol, NH).
Chad served 1988-1992 in the 82nd Airborne unit with stays in Europe, and frontline Desert Storm in Afghanistan, protecting the Kurds. He was a commercial diver, post discharge from the army, working on oil rigs off the Louisiana coast and in Alaska. He joined Air force reserves while in North Pole, Alaska, serving 1996-1997 repairing instrumentation and electronics on planes.
He moved to Port Townsend, Washington in 1999, to live near his sister, Bonnie. He worked as a diver cleaning municipal water tanks in Idaho, Washington and Oregon, preserving forestry in the Olympic Mountains area, plus had his own odd jobs business (electrical wiring of horse stables, felling trees, yard chores for elderly, etc.). He enjoyed many hikes and diving Puget Sound for Dungeness crabs and helping the local dive shop owner.
PTSD (“Gulf War Syndrome”) chased Chad since his army days, but he was very proud to have served, an active member of the VFW and American Legion up until his death. His love of food often took him into their kitchens to cook for events and fund raisers.
Chad lived back in NH, Alexandria and Belmont areas, 2004 – 2012 (except for 2007 in Boston), until his move to South Carolina.
A bizarre accident in June 2013 caused Chad to become an above knee amputee. Even this didn’t stop his love of the outdoors, ocean, fishing and boating. He finally got his V.A. special water prosthesis in June 2017, allowing him to joyfully play in the waves at Folly Beach SC with mom looking on.
Chad was predeceased by his father, Edward, on April 25, 1994. He’s survived by sister, Bonnie Masi, brother, Lance Masi, and mom, Donna, many friends, and 3 cats – Timmy, Buzz and Stinkums.
A memorial was held at Sunrise Beach, SC, on July 31, 2017 plus a family gathering on Lance’s mountain property in Alexandria, NH, August 12th. Bonnie will hold a gathering at her house 429 Harrison Street, Port Townsend October 7th at 2:00 PM.
