Lawrence Earl Chapman
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Lawrence Earl Chapman, 80, of Greenfield, passed away Monday, Oct. 3, 2022 at home, surrounded by his family.
He was born April 15, 1942 in Charleston, S.C. to Charles Whitmire Chapman and Pauline Ruth (Inskeep) Chapman.
Following his 1960 graduation from E.L. McClain High School in Greenfield, Larry enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served as a radioman aboard the USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Holding the highest clearances, Larry was first to decode and relay critical orders to the commanding officers. He met and was honored by President John F. Kennedy for his role.
After earning his bachelor’s degree from California State University, Fullerton, he returned home to teach special education at Buckskin Elementary for three years, then U.S. history and government at his alma mater, retiring in 1995. He was a proprietor of Yankee Peddler Bicycle Shoppe, Fall Creek Woodworking, Fall Creek Communications and Fall Creek Computers.
He contributed love, time and resources to his community through involvement in city council, Highland County Community Action Organization, Greenfield Historical Society, Spark Creative Artspace and Grow Greater Greenfield (G3).
Larry was a true Renaissance man, forever following his conscience and cultural curiosities. He was a spinner of tales and a traveler; a philanthropist and a fisherman; a writer and a reader, a luthier and a lapidary; a cyclist, a ceramicist, a son of the world. He made strangers into friends. He took the long way there. To his thousands of students he mentored, encouraged and loved, he was Mr. Chapman; to amateur radio aficionados, he was The Pope of 3898; and to the grandkids he absolutely adored, he was Big Papa.
He is survived by his wife, Janet (Michael) Chapman; daughters, Jennifer (Rooks) Wenker and Kristen (Rooks) Cross; son, Charles Michael Chapman; grandchildren, Cyrus Cross, Harper Cross, Hannah Wenker, Hope Wenker and Kloe Scharbrough; former sons-in-law, Randall Wenker and Willie Cross; sister-in-law, Ruby Chapman; aunt, Nancy (Chapman) Alden; cousin, Alexa Waterman; a host of dear Alden, Boswell and Waterman cousins; his first wife, Mary (McGee) Chapman, with whom he remained friends; father-in-law, Worley Johnson; brothers-in-law, Dave and Sharon Michael and Tom Johnson; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Joe Allen Chapman; aunts, Kate (Inskeep) Waterman and Mary (Chapman) Boswell; uncle, Jack Chapman; mother-in-law, Joanne (Cherry) Johnson; brother-in-law, Ed Michael; and Craig Andrew “Cap” Pitcher, whom he loved as a son.
Funeral services will be Sunday, Oct. 9 at 5 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 457 Jefferson St., Greenfield, with the Rev. Terry Washburn presiding.
Visitation will be from 3-5 p.m., and guests are invited to join the family for BBQ & Blues at the church immediately following the service.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Larry Chapman Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Merchants National Bank, 117 S. Washington St., Greenfield 45123.
The Murray-Fettro Funeral Home in Greenfield is serving the family.
Condolences may be sent to www.murrayfettro.com.
He was born April 15, 1942 in Charleston, S.C. to Charles Whitmire Chapman and Pauline Ruth (Inskeep) Chapman.
Following his 1960 graduation from E.L. McClain High School in Greenfield, Larry enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served as a radioman aboard the USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Holding the highest clearances, Larry was first to decode and relay critical orders to the commanding officers. He met and was honored by President John F. Kennedy for his role.
After earning his bachelor’s degree from California State University, Fullerton, he returned home to teach special education at Buckskin Elementary for three years, then U.S. history and government at his alma mater, retiring in 1995. He was a proprietor of Yankee Peddler Bicycle Shoppe, Fall Creek Woodworking, Fall Creek Communications and Fall Creek Computers.
He contributed love, time and resources to his community through involvement in city council, Highland County Community Action Organization, Greenfield Historical Society, Spark Creative Artspace and Grow Greater Greenfield (G3).
Larry was a true Renaissance man, forever following his conscience and cultural curiosities. He was a spinner of tales and a traveler; a philanthropist and a fisherman; a writer and a reader, a luthier and a lapidary; a cyclist, a ceramicist, a son of the world. He made strangers into friends. He took the long way there. To his thousands of students he mentored, encouraged and loved, he was Mr. Chapman; to amateur radio aficionados, he was The Pope of 3898; and to the grandkids he absolutely adored, he was Big Papa.
He is survived by his wife, Janet (Michael) Chapman; daughters, Jennifer (Rooks) Wenker and Kristen (Rooks) Cross; son, Charles Michael Chapman; grandchildren, Cyrus Cross, Harper Cross, Hannah Wenker, Hope Wenker and Kloe Scharbrough; former sons-in-law, Randall Wenker and Willie Cross; sister-in-law, Ruby Chapman; aunt, Nancy (Chapman) Alden; cousin, Alexa Waterman; a host of dear Alden, Boswell and Waterman cousins; his first wife, Mary (McGee) Chapman, with whom he remained friends; father-in-law, Worley Johnson; brothers-in-law, Dave and Sharon Michael and Tom Johnson; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Joe Allen Chapman; aunts, Kate (Inskeep) Waterman and Mary (Chapman) Boswell; uncle, Jack Chapman; mother-in-law, Joanne (Cherry) Johnson; brother-in-law, Ed Michael; and Craig Andrew “Cap” Pitcher, whom he loved as a son.
Funeral services will be Sunday, Oct. 9 at 5 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 457 Jefferson St., Greenfield, with the Rev. Terry Washburn presiding.
Visitation will be from 3-5 p.m., and guests are invited to join the family for BBQ & Blues at the church immediately following the service.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Larry Chapman Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Merchants National Bank, 117 S. Washington St., Greenfield 45123.
The Murray-Fettro Funeral Home in Greenfield is serving the family.
Condolences may be sent to www.murrayfettro.com.