Brett Lee Chase, an electrical contractor and athlete with deep ties to the San Diego community, passed away at home in Bonita, California, on March 4, 2025. He was 66 years old.

A native of Imperial Beach, Brett followed his father, Lynn Chase, into the electrical trade while still in primary school. As a young man, he loved playing football and baseball and was a top student, particularly in math. As a teenager he worked tireless summers for his fathers company, IB Electric, eventually saving enough to purchase his very first motorcycle, a '75 Kawasaki. Well-liked by classmates for his humorous and fun-loving nature, Brett graduated Hilltop High in 1976 and was noted in the yearbook for throwing the ultimate parties at “The Chase House."

After working with his father in his early career, Brett established Chase Electric in 1986 to better provide for the young family he and his then-wife Janet had started with the birth of their daughter, Lauren Collins (Chase), the year prior. Described by those he worked with as a contractor of the "highest standard," Brett built a business that saw his services in demand across San Diego County for more than four decades. Many of his associates will remember him for his early starts, long hours, and unyielding commitment to professional excellence.

Brett's hard work was not limited to the job site. In 1987, he purchased a dilapidated residential structure on Daisy Avenue in Imperial Beach in the hopes of improving it. There, Brett embarked on a five-year-long project to build the family home he dreamed of, working tirelessly on his days off and free time to build the Daisy house up piece by piece. During construction, he welcomed two more children, his daughter, Callahan Chase-Morrison, and his son, Dylan Chase, into his life. In 1992, he completed work on the four-bedroom house, complete with a family room, an oceanview deck and a handbuilt swingset in the backyard. His surviving children share deep gratitude and pride that the house they grew up in was one their father built. Brett kept busy with other home improvement projects for the entirety of his life, renovating his properties in Imperial Beach, Crown Point, Claremont, and elsewhere. Even in his final days, Brett was hard at work on renovating his home in Bonita.

In the 1990s, Brett navigated a period of personal rediscovery. Brett's love of the outdoors and competition eventually brought him to the triathlon community, where he found an activity that could satiate his drive to reach for his highest potential. He eventually competed in three Ironman events around the world, training for months on end with a close band of co-competitors to complete grueling races in California, Canada, and New Zealand. His involvement in this world also brought him into contact with the Challenged Athletes Foundation, a charity benefiting athletes with disabilities, of which he was a long-time supporter and fan. 

An inveterate traveler, Brett also took pride in exploring the United States; Idaho, New Orleans and Florida were some of his favorite destinations. Following his marriage to Candie McDevitt in 2017, the two undertook many road trips around the country, enjoying a mutual love of travel and adventure. 

In later life, Brett's passion for athletics made him a mainstay on tennis and golf courts across San Diego. A lover of fly fishing and watersports, Brett will be remembered by friends and family at the helm of his boat on the waterways of San Diego and the Central Coast — or streaking remarkably fast down an open highway on his beloved Harley-Davidson.

Brett is survived by his three children, including his eldest daughter, Lauren; his daughter, Callahan; and his son, Dylan; two grandchildren (Callan and Rosemary Collins); his three sisters, Sherrie Chase, Corinne Chase and Donia Lee Briones; and his mother, Donia Ramsdell, whom he took care of in his final years. 

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/brett-chase/obituary/

Copy