Malcolm Chace Sr

Malcolm Greene Chace, a leading businessman and philanthropist who enthusiastically embraced family, friends and community, died on Thursday, June 23, 2011 at Mass General hospital surrounded by his family. He was 76. Malcolm G. Chace was born in Providence, RI on October 26, 1934, the son of the late Malcolm G. Chace, Jr. and Beatrice Oenslager Chace. Providence was his home for the majority of his life. He married Elizabeth Zopfi Saltonstall on February 8, 1975, in Providence. Chace ran Mossberg Industries, a Cumberland maker of plastic spools and reels, and Providence-based machine manufacturer New England Butt Co., into the late 1980s. He also ran SENESCO Marine shipyard until 2006, when he and other key investors sold the North Kingstown barge builder. Kim attended The Gordon School, Providence, RI and graduated from The Brooks School, North Andover, MA (1952) and Yale University, New Haven, CT (1956). The grounding to Mr. Chace's long and successful career in business and as a private investor began at Chase Manhattan Bank in New York City. He returned to Providence in 1967 to participate in the family businesses. In 1996 he founded Bank RI where he remained as Chairman of the Board. In 1992 Kim succeeded his father on the board of Berkshire Hathaway, which he served on until 2007. One of Mr. Chace's proudest moments in support of the arts in Providence was the 2009 opening of The Rhode Island School of Design Chace Center, which he jointly endowed with his two sisters, Jane Chace Carroll and Eliot Chace Nolen. In recognition of his dedication to Rhode Island education. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Zopfi Chace; sisters Jane Chace Carroll and Eliot Chace Nolen both of Manhattan; daughter, Elizabeth (John) Sundell of Nantucket, MA; son, Malcolm (Erin) Chace Jr. of Providence, RI; daughter, Barbara (Tony) Ulehla of Wilton, CT; step-daughter, Joanna Saltonstall (Larry Farwell); step-son, William (Katherine) Saltonstall of Hingham, MA; step-son, Thomas (Stephanie) Saltonstall; step-daughter, Julia (Bradford) Haley; and, 15 grandchildren.