Harold Chapman

Harold Howard Chapman Harold Howard Chapman, longtime resident of Fairfax, passed Tuesday morning, August 25, 2009 at the Fairfax Hospital. He was 93 years of age. Harold was born April 28, 1916 at Castleton, Kansas, the son of Avery Henry Chapman and Emma Rebecca Dunn Chapman. He attended the Waukomis, Oklahoma Schools. Work was hard to find in that day and Harold began working at shoveling coal and then went to work on the W.P.A. relief program. He learned how to make concrete and then learned the carpentry business and began building houses in Enid. He also was employed in the grocery business in his earlier years. He was married to Hazel Mae Wright on April 28, 1936 in Enid. Hazel preceded him in death in 1984. He volunteered for the United States Army and was inducted on January 28, 1944. He served his country proudly in Burma where he was a decorated combat soldier. He was honorably discharged from the Army on January 28, 1946. After his return from the Army he began building houses again in Enid and then began working as a lay minister, evangelizing in the area and finally pastoring two Assembly of God Churches. He then began ministering in the Pentecostal Church of God organization and moved to Fairfax in 1969 where he became an ordained minister of the Church on October 15th of that year. He was a preacher there until failing health forced his retirement in 1975. In all he had served 24 years in the ministry. He married Joyce K. Benson on May 3, 1985. He was a member of the Fairfax Ministerial Alliance and his enjoyments were fishing, attending garage sales where he collected old typewriters. He loved music and was an accomplished musician on several instruments and even played in an MP swing band while in the Army. In later years he would be seen mowing lawns all over Fairfax and was very particular about his lawn work. He is survived by his wife, Joyce, of the home; one daughter, Arvilla Mae Chapman, Minneapolis, Minnesota; one sister, Clara Thornburg, Ponca City, Oklahoma; two step-sons, Rob VanDusen, of Fairfax, and Tom Bugsy VanDusen, Port Ludlow, Washington; 9 grandchildren, numerous great grandchildren and one great great grandchild; numerous nieces, nephews, other extended family, acquaintances and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife; four brothers, Henry James Chapman, Glen Clifford Chapman, Elmer Avery Chapman and Alvin Ernest Chapman; two sisters, Grace Amanda Chapman and Anna Clara Chapman. Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, August 28, 2009 at the Fairfax Cemetery Pavilion with Rev. George Weston presiding. Arrangements are under the direction of the Hunsaker-Wooten Funeral Home of Fairfax. Casket bearers will be Cody VanDusen, Donald Abbott, Joseph Buckner, Hatch Buckner, Leon Hendricks and Jay Badley. Honorary casket bearers will be Phil Nuttle and Sam Abbington. Memorial contributions to help with funeral expenses may be made to the Hunsaker-Wooten Funeral Home, 201 North 4th, Fairfax, Oklahoma 74637. Mr. Chapmans guestbook may be signed at www.hunsakerwootenfuneralhome.com