Merle Francis Chapman, 78, of Pinehurst, passed away Sunday, Jan. 30, 2011.
A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 4, at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, in Pinehurst, with the Rev. James M. Labosky officiating. A vigil for the deceased will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 3, at Boles Funeral Home, in Southern Pines. Rite of committal will be in Chenoa Cemetery, Chenoa, Ill., at a later date.
Mr. Chapman was born Dec. 11, 1932, and raised in Chenoa, Ill., where he graduated from Chenoa High School. He enlisted in the Air Force for four years and served his country during the Korean conflict. He flew air weather service missions over the Pacific, the Bering Sea and the North Pole. He married Margene Lea Bauman on Jan. 2, 1953, in Bloomington, Ill.
Mr. Chapman’s career led him to concentrate in the grain elevator industry, including serving as director of the Farmers’ Grain Dealer Association, president of the Illinois Grain and Feed Association, member of the Illinois Advisory Board for Farmland Industries, and past chairman of their Association Education Committee.
He and Margene moved to Pinehurst in 2001. He became very active in his parish, Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church. He served the church as an usher, an active member of Knights of Columbus, chairman of the defibrillator committee, chairman of the Adopt a Child program and many other roles.
Mr. Chapman was passionate about spending time with his family, grandkids, his church family and Midland family. Gardening became a special hobby for him later in life, and he always remained committed to his Chicago Bears. He will be missed by so many.
In addition to his wife, Margene, he is survived by his son Douglas Chapman and grandchildren Nick, Ethan and Collin, of Wake Forest; his son Dennis Chapman and wife, Kathy, and grandchildren Sarah and Dylan, of South Riding, Va.; and son Greg Chapman and wife, Julie, and grandchildren Scott and Steven, of Potomac, Md.; and his twin brother, Dale Chapman and wife, Patricia, of Chenoa.
Memorials may be made to the Sacred Heart’s Knights of Columbus “Adopt a Child” program, P.O. Box 1768, Pinehurst, NC 28370, or a charity of one’s choice. Online condolences may be made at www.bolesfuneralhome.com.
Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines is serving the family.