H.V. Chapman

H.V. (Chuck) Chapman, Jr. Longtime Abilenian and businessman, H.V. (Chuck) Chapman, Jr. passed away on Tuesday, February 11, 2014, in Hendrick Medical Center Inpatient Hospice. Homer Virgil (Chuck) Chapman, Jr. was born in Dallas, Texas on May 9th, 1921 to H.V. Sr. and Ruth Chapman. At the age of 3 his family moved to Abilene, Texas. He graduated from Abilene High School in 1939 and from Hardin-Simmons University in 1943, majoring in Business. He was a member of the Hardin-Simmons Cowboy Band, having served as President his senior year. The last 6 months of his senior year he also served as the Band Director as the current director left to serve in the war. In April 2013, Chuck was able to attend the 90th Anniversary of the Cowboy Band celebrations at HSU and visit with old friends and listen to the outstanding performance by the band. Chuck was also on the Hardin-Simmons Track team where he was a pole-vaulter, and he was a member of the KFI Fraternity. Upon graduation from HSU he served in the Naval Air Force as a Fighter Pilot where he survived 2 crashes. One of these crashes made Naval Air Force History when he and another pilot both survived a mid-air crash during a night training session. When he returned to Abilene in 1947 after the war, he and his father opened H.V. Chapman & Sons Bookbinding Company. Chuck married Dorotha Nell Boyce White in Abilene, Texas on April 6, 1950. Dorotha was a war widow and her then 7 year old daughter, Patricia White, was raised by Chuck. Together, Chuck and Dorotha had one son, Stan and one daughter, Carolyn. Dorotha passed away on January 10, 2000, just 3 months shy of their 50th wedding anniversary. After his father’s retirement from The Bookbindery, Chuck ran the company where his son, Stan and daughter Carolyn, along with other relatives who worked periodically throughout the years. Chuck retired in 1986 and his son, Stan took over the business. Chuck continued to work at the Bookbindery until 2007 on a part-time basis. In 2002 Chuck appeared on The Texas Big Country Reporter TV series with a story about The Bookbindery. In 2008 Chuck was awarded the Mercantile Award from the Downtown Association for more than 60 years of contributions to downtown Abilene. H.V. (Chuck) was a member of the Abilene Rotary Club, KFI Fraternity of Hardin-Simmons University, the Range Rider Riding Club, and a member of the First Central Presbyterian Church where he served as an Elder and was in the Friendly Class Sunday School Class. He and Dorotha as well as four other couples were members of the Green Bean Supper Club which was established on February 14, 1951 and continued to meet throughout the years. The five men of this group all graduated from HSU, and they along with their wives remained lifelong friends throughout their lives. Those couples included Bill and Elsie Tippen, Ed and Margaret Hamilton, Jack and Doris Clarke and Bullet and Glennis Frost. They continued to meet once a month for supper at each other’s homes over the years even as several of the spouses passed away. He is preceded in death by this wife, Dorotha Nell; his parents, H.V., Sr. and Ruth Chapman; brother, Harold Chapman; two sisters, Mildred Dilka and Florene Luttrell; and one step-grandson, John Rivers. He is survived by one son, Stan Chapman of Abilene and fiancée Pam Berger of Austin; one daughter, Carolyn and husband Richard Shelburn of Abilene; and one step-daughter, Pat and husband Gary Turner of Daingerfield, Texas. Grandchildren include Tiffani and husband Zack Rainbow of Abilene, Laken and husband Henning Sandrod of Norway, Jamie and wife Shayna Chapman of Texarkana, Kimberley and husband Andy Neal of Texarkana, Julie Rivers of Daingerfield, Colin and wife Lauren Miles of San Antonio, and great grandchildren Grace Payne of Abilene, Texas, Evie and Asher Miles of San Antonio, Clint and Casey Baxter of Daingerfield, and Trinity and Triston Chapman of Texarkana. Survivors also include one brother Roy Chapman and wife Juanell of Austin, Texas, one sister Betty Clemmer and husband Bill of Abilene, Texas, a sister-in-law Bobby Sue Chapman of Carrollton, TX, cousin by marriage Corky Hodges, and numerous nieces and nephews. The family wishes to thank the Hendrick Hospice Staff, as well as the Home Instead caregivers, especially Deborah, for their excellent care and compassion. Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o’clock until seven o’clock in the evening on Thursday, the 13th of February 2014, at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road, Abilene, Texas. Graveside service will be conducted at ten o’clock in the morning on Friday, the 14th of February 2014, in Elmwood Memorial Park Garden of Hope, Abilene, Texas, under the direction of The Hamil Family Funeral Home. Memorials in honor of Chuck may be made to Hendrick Hospice Care, 1682 Hickory St., Abilene, TX 79601, or to the donor’s charity of choice.