TAPPAHANNOCK, Va. — John Lawrence Chute, Jr., died suddenly at home in Tappahannock, Virginia on June 10, 2017.

He was born in Biddeford, Maine on June 12, 1938, to the late John L. Chute, Sr. and Lillian Leville Chute.

John grew up on a farm in Biddeford that had no electricity or indoor plumbing. He received a Bachelor of Science (Physics) ’60 from Notre Dame, a Master of Arts (Geology) ’62 from Indiana University and a PhD ’69 from Columbia University. He traveled the world as a scientist for the Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory, was co-investigator for the Lunar Heat Flow experiment on the moon (Apollo 15 and 17), and was involved in early database design for both mainframe and personal computers.

A professor of geology at Lehman College, CUNY in the Bronx for 30 years, he enjoyed working on family genealogy, fixing old cars, and playing a wide variety of musical instruments in his spare time.

John is survived by: his wife, Lisa Morton Chute, of Tappahannock, Virginia; children Christina Chute (Deirdre McClure) and Adelaide Chute (Christopher Creelman); grandchildren Eleanor and Ian McClure-Chute; stepchildren Kristin Ordahl (Jeff Gibson), Rolf Ordahl, and Thomas Ordahl; step-grandchildren Elsa and Trygve Ordahl and Louisa Gibson; his two brothers, William H. Chute (Jacqueline Kestenbaum) and James F. Chute (Janice); nieces Elizabeth, Katy, and Haley Chute; and nephew Patrick Chute.

A memorial service will take place in the Meeting Room of the Friends School of Portland at 3 p.m, Saturday, July 22, 2017. John will be laid to rest privately at the farm in Biddeford.