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Biography

Eugene A. Chappie, Republican, was a State Assembly Member, 1965-1980. He was first elected to the 6th Assembly District in 1964 representing Yuba, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Amador, Alpine, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Mariposa, Mono, and Inyo Counties. As a result of reapportionment in 1973, his district changed to District 3 and included the counties of Butte, Colusa, Nevada, Placer, Sierra, Sutter, and Yuba beginning with the 1974 elections.

Chappie was born in Sacramento on March 28, 1920 and attended schools in Sacramento, although the family ranch was in Cool, El Dorado County. His first grade teacher gave him the name Chappie from his Italian surname of Chiappa. He was a rancher by profession and served in World War II and the Korean War. On October 5, 1941, Chappie married Paula Di Benedetto and together they had five children; Susan, Eugene II, John, Tina, and Linda. He married again in the 1980s after the disillusion of his first marriage.

In 1950 Governor Earl Warren appointed Chappie to a vacant seat on the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors. He served on the Board from 1950-1964.

Chappie was elected to the State Assembly for the first time in 1964. In looking back on his legislative career, Chappie stated that he often times had to obtain permission to leave the state in order to visit parts of his eleven county 6th District, which he represented. The district stretched from Death Valley to north of Lake Tahoe. He claimed to have totaled three cars and one airplane over the years that he represented that district. He was almost relieved when his district was reapportioned out of his district in 1973 and became somewhat more manageable.

During his term in the Legislature, Chappie was a member of the following committees.

Chappie was proud of the fact that he was the only Republican chair of a committee (Social Welfare) during Jesse Unruh's tenure as Speaker of the Assembly.

As a result of his legislation concerning off-road vehicles, the Eugene Chappie Off-Highway Vehicle Park in Beckwourth Riverfront Park, Marysville was named in his honor.

In addition, as a member of the Legislature, Chappie served as Chair of the Assembly Republican Caucus in the 1970s and served on the California Heritage Preservation Commission, the Commission on the Status of Women, and the Commission of the Californias.

In 1980 Chappie won election to the House of Representatives and served six years as a member of Congress. He then served as a political consultant for a national public relations firm for the next few years. In 1988 Governor George Deukmejian appointed him to fill a vacancy on the El Dorado Board of Supervisors. In 1990 he lost his only election of his career when he attempted to be a full term supervisor. He died on May 31, 1992.

State Assembly, 1965-1980