John Clapp -- carpenter, author, friend

John Clapp died unexpectedly on November 28, 2022, while preparing his peacock barn for the winter. Family and friends are stunned that this man with such vitality, good humor, and genuine warmth could suddenly be gone from their life.

As his sister-in-law, I created this fundraiser to help John's wife Dee, his soulmate, and his beloved son Jarred with funeral expenses and fulfilling John's wish for a park bench with his name where anyone can pause and enjoy the outdoors, as he did. Any remaining funds will help them maintain their farm and solar home.

As a lifelong resident of the Northampton area, John left his mark on the region in many ways. He lent his talent as a carpenter with an eye for fine craftsmanship to scores of homes and businesses he built and renovated. John and his wife Dee were early pioneers in using solar energy, doing their part to forestall climate change. They shared their knowledge of solar panels and efficient-energy practices with hundreds of area residents who toured the “off-the-grid” home that John built in rural Northampton.

After John retired from carpentry, the couple welcomed adventurous guests seeking an escape from the city to their home they operate as Starlight Llama Bed & Breakfast. John would set up his telescope on clear nights and let guests view the star-filled sky. Many guests return season after season for a renewing weekend with great coffee and conversation with John and Dee.

In the last 10 years, John applied his natural storytelling skills to writing. His books celebrate the area’s natural world with humor and humility in "A Tale of Two Cabins: Comparative Stories of Thoreau’s Cabin, Nature and Life." And they reveal the local history and his family’s roots that trace to 1770 in "The Lost Village of Robert Meadows." He was searching for a publisher for his latest historical novel, "Henry."

The published books were a tremendous accomplishment for a man who made a career as a carpenter, but perhaps not surprising for a man with John’s incredible depth of character.

Please honor John with a gift to fund a lasting marker with his name. There will only be one John Irving Clapp.

Thank you.