PEKIN ~ Robert Edward “Bob” Chapman of Conway, Arkansas, unexpectedly went home to be with the Lord during the early morning hours of Friday, December 5, 2014, while visiting family in Pekin, Illinois.
He was born in Detroit, Michigan, on June 27, 1933, and was raised by his father and stepmother, Harry & Frances Chapman. Bob joined the U.S. Army at the young age of 17 and served honorably for 22 years.
While on temporary duty at Ft. McClellan, Alabama, Bob noticed a lovely young member of the Women’s Army Corp. One month and four days later…on June 11, 1955… Bob married Shirley Ester Wilson at the Silver Chapel at Ft. McClellan.
Bob served with several divisions in the Army, including the 325th Infantry, the Artillery and Missile School Brigade, and the 4th Missile Battalion, but he was most proud of his years with the 82nd Airborne. His overseas assignments included Germany and the Panama Canal Zone. Shirley was able to accompany him to both locations. Their years in Germany gave them two beautiful daughters. Another daughter and a son were joyfully added when the family was back on U.S. soil.
Bob also served in Vietnam and Korea. While in Vietnam, he was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in action and the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement in ground operations against hostile forces. After retiring from the Army on December 31, 1971, he began a second 20-year career in maintenance and carpentry at National Broach & Machine in Macomb, Michigan.
Following his second retirement, Bob & Shirley enjoyed 5 years “on the road” in their RV. Those were fun years, wintering in Texas and along the Gulf, before they settled down in Arkansas. At the time of Bob’s homegoing, the couple was in the process of moving to Pekin in order to be closer to family.
Bob is survived by Shirley, his loving wife of 59 years, and by his 3 children, Sandra (Timothy) Collard of Pekin, Illinois; Holly (Lloyd) Bartley of Rochester Hills, Michigan; and Robert Chapman, Jr., of Glendale, California. He adored his four grandchildren; Laura (Russ) McDowell, Nathan (Kellie) Bartley, Elizabeth (Chris) Green, and James (Angela) Collard. He is also survived by his brother, Dennis Chapman, and eight great-grandchildren. Bob was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Kathryn Leann, and his sister, Gayle Desmet.
Burial with military rites will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday, December 12th, at Camp Butler National Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois
Memorial contributions may be made to Faith Baptist Church, 1501 Howard Court, Pekin, Illinois.
http://www.preston-hanley.com/ 12-9-2014
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He was born in Detroit, Michigan, on June 27, 1933, and was raised by his father and stepmother, Harry & Frances Chapman. Bob joined the U.S. Army at the young age of 17 and served honorably for 22 years.
While on temporary duty at Ft. McClellan, Alabama, Bob noticed a lovely young member of the Women’s Army Corp. One month and four days later…on June 11, 1955… Bob married Shirley Ester Wilson at the Silver Chapel at Ft. McClellan.
Bob served with several divisions in the Army, including the 325th Infantry, the Artillery and Missile School Brigade, and the 4th Missile Battalion, but he was most proud of his years with the 82nd Airborne. His overseas assignments included Germany and the Panama Canal Zone. Shirley was able to accompany him to both locations. Their years in Germany gave them two beautiful daughters. Another daughter and a son were joyfully added when the family was back on U.S. soil.
Bob also served in Vietnam and Korea. While in Vietnam, he was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in action and the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement in ground operations against hostile forces. After retiring from the Army on December 31, 1971, he began a second 20-year career in maintenance and carpentry at National Broach & Machine in Macomb, Michigan.
Following his second retirement, Bob & Shirley enjoyed 5 years “on the road” in their RV. Those were fun years, wintering in Texas and along the Gulf, before they settled down in Arkansas. At the time of Bob’s homegoing, the couple was in the process of moving to Pekin in order to be closer to family.
Bob is survived by Shirley, his loving wife of 59 years, and by his 3 children, Sandra (Timothy) Collard of Pekin, Illinois; Holly (Lloyd) Bartley of Rochester Hills, Michigan; and Robert Chapman, Jr., of Glendale, California. He adored his four grandchildren; Laura (Russ) McDowell, Nathan (Kellie) Bartley, Elizabeth (Chris) Green, and James (Angela) Collard. He is also survived by his brother, Dennis Chapman, and eight great-grandchildren. Bob was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Kathryn Leann, and his sister, Gayle Desmet.
Burial with military rites will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday, December 12th, at Camp Butler National Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois
Memorial contributions may be made to Faith Baptist Church, 1501 Howard Court, Pekin, Illinois.
http://www.preston-hanley.com/ 12-9-2014
*******************************************
PEKIN ~ Robert Edward “Bob” Chapman of Conway, Arkansas, unexpectedly went home to be with the Lord during the early morning hours of Friday, December 5, 2014, while visiting family in Pekin, Illinois.
He was born in Detroit, Michigan, on June 27, 1933, and was raised by his father and stepmother, Harry & Frances Chapman. Bob joined the U.S. Army at the young age of 17 and served honorably for 22 years.
While on temporary duty at Ft. McClellan, Alabama, Bob noticed a lovely young member of the Women’s Army Corp. One month and four days later…on June 11, 1955… Bob married Shirley Ester Wilson at the Silver Chapel at Ft. McClellan.
Bob served with several divisions in the Army, including the 325th Infantry, the Artillery and Missile School Brigade, and the 4th Missile Battalion, but he was most proud of his years with the 82nd Airborne. His overseas assignments included Germany and the Panama Canal Zone. Shirley was able to accompany him to both locations. Their years in Germany gave them two beautiful daughters. Another daughter and a son were joyfully added when the family was back on U.S. soil.
Bob also served in Vietnam and Korea. While in Vietnam, he was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in action and the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement in ground operations against hostile forces. After retiring from the Army on December 31, 1971, he began a second 20-year career in maintenance and carpentry at National Broach & Machine in Macomb, Michigan.
Following his second retirement, Bob & Shirley enjoyed 5 years “on the road” in their RV. Those were fun years, wintering in Texas and along the Gulf, before they settled down in Arkansas. At the time of Bob’s homegoing, the couple was in the process of moving to Pekin in order to be closer to family.
Bob is survived by Shirley, his loving wife of 59 years, and by his 3 children, Sandra (Timothy) Collard of Pekin, Illinois; Holly (Lloyd) Bartley of Rochester Hills, Michigan; and Robert Chapman, Jr., of Glendale, California. He adored his four grandchildren; Laura (Russ) McDowell, Nathan (Kellie) Bartley, Elizabeth (Chris) Green, and James (Angela) Collard. He is also survived by his brother, Dennis Chapman, and eight great-grandchildren. Bob was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Kathryn Leann, and his sister, Gayle Desmet.
Burial with military rites will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday, December 12th, at Camp Butler National Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois
Memorial contributions may be made to Faith Baptist Church, 1501 Howard Court, Pekin, Illinois.
http://www.preston-hanley.com/ 12-9-2014
*******************************************
He was born in Detroit, Michigan, on June 27, 1933, and was raised by his father and stepmother, Harry & Frances Chapman. Bob joined the U.S. Army at the young age of 17 and served honorably for 22 years.
While on temporary duty at Ft. McClellan, Alabama, Bob noticed a lovely young member of the Women’s Army Corp. One month and four days later…on June 11, 1955… Bob married Shirley Ester Wilson at the Silver Chapel at Ft. McClellan.
Bob served with several divisions in the Army, including the 325th Infantry, the Artillery and Missile School Brigade, and the 4th Missile Battalion, but he was most proud of his years with the 82nd Airborne. His overseas assignments included Germany and the Panama Canal Zone. Shirley was able to accompany him to both locations. Their years in Germany gave them two beautiful daughters. Another daughter and a son were joyfully added when the family was back on U.S. soil.
Bob also served in Vietnam and Korea. While in Vietnam, he was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in action and the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement in ground operations against hostile forces. After retiring from the Army on December 31, 1971, he began a second 20-year career in maintenance and carpentry at National Broach & Machine in Macomb, Michigan.
Following his second retirement, Bob & Shirley enjoyed 5 years “on the road” in their RV. Those were fun years, wintering in Texas and along the Gulf, before they settled down in Arkansas. At the time of Bob’s homegoing, the couple was in the process of moving to Pekin in order to be closer to family.
Bob is survived by Shirley, his loving wife of 59 years, and by his 3 children, Sandra (Timothy) Collard of Pekin, Illinois; Holly (Lloyd) Bartley of Rochester Hills, Michigan; and Robert Chapman, Jr., of Glendale, California. He adored his four grandchildren; Laura (Russ) McDowell, Nathan (Kellie) Bartley, Elizabeth (Chris) Green, and James (Angela) Collard. He is also survived by his brother, Dennis Chapman, and eight great-grandchildren. Bob was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Kathryn Leann, and his sister, Gayle Desmet.
Burial with military rites will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday, December 12th, at Camp Butler National Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois
Memorial contributions may be made to Faith Baptist Church, 1501 Howard Court, Pekin, Illinois.
http://www.preston-hanley.com/ 12-9-2014
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