Archie Dean Chapman, 86 years, 8 months, and 21 days, died Oct. 31, 2012 in Lincoln.
Funeral services for Archie will be held Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. at the Geneva United Methodist Church. Pastor Ron Harris and Kim Dunker will officiate the services.
Interment will be in the Geneva Public Cemetery.
Pallbearers for the service will include Tony Chapman, Tyler Chapman, Nigel Chapman, Larry Bornschlegl, Dick Nelson, Jim Nichols and P.R. Farmer. Honorary bearers include all of Archie’s former student-athletes.
Folding of the United States Flag and presentation will be performed by the Geneva American Legion Sloan-Bolton Post 68.
Sondra Myers is to accompany Sue Rickert in the singing of “Because He Lives” and “Precious Lord, Take My Hand.” Sondra will also accompany the congregation in the singing of “Hymn Of Promise.”
Archie was born to Claude and Ella (Ondrak) Chapman on Feb. 10, 1926 in rural Fairmont.
Archie attended grade school in Fairmont and graduated from Exeter High School with the class of 1943. He joined the US Navy in 1944 and served with the Dive Bomber Squad 7. Following his discharge from the Navy, he attended Doane College at Crete. Archie received his bachelor’s degree in 1951 and later pursued his education with a master’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1964.
Archie met Dee at a dance in Geneva on June 10, 1946. From then on, all of their dates consisted of dances. He gave her a ring on Valentine’s Day 1948.
On June 16, 1948, he married Delight Joann Wright at Ohiowa and to this union four children were born: Frank, Randy, Nancy and Paul.
His first teaching and coaching position was in Stella followed by Sterling, Geneva and Lexington. He loved teaching history, as well as coaching basketball and football.
He retired from his teaching position in 1978 to become the business manager at Jones Plumbing in Lexington where he was employed until 1990.
Archie and Dee returned to Geneva in 1991 for their retirement. During this time, he became a Teammates mentor and passed this experience on to his son and grandson.
He was a life-long learner and enjoyed conversations about most any topic. His hobbies were a love of reading, crossword puzzles, woodworking, model trains and jigsaw puzzles. He enjoyed his grandchildren’s events, and in his later years especially enjoyed visits from his great-grandchildren.
He also looked forward to his former student’s class reunions and alumni banquet celebrations.
Archie was a member of the United Methodist Church, Geneva Rotary Club, Geneva Lions Club, the VFW and the American Legion. He was a past president of the Fillmore County Teacher’s Association, the MUDECAS Association and the Lexington Education Association.
Archie was also a member of the National Education Association, Nebraska State Education Association, NSEA Executive Committee District IV and the Nebraska Coaches Association.
He is survived by his wife Dee, his companion of 64 years; sons Frank (Gail) of York, Randy (Judy) of Lexington; daughter, Nancy (Steve) Heiser of Lincoln and son, Paul also of Lincoln; six grandchildren, Amy Chapman-Bader of Lexington, Tony (Kerry) of Grand Island, Sara Chapman-Gomez (Vic) of Kearney, Tyler (Latisha) of Wichita, Kan., Madeleine Heiser and Nigel Chapman of Lincoln; eight great-grandchildren, including Katie and Sam Gomez of Kearney, Addison, Olivia, and Ella Chapman of Grand Island, Londyn, Sydney and Liberty Chapman of Wichita; sisters-in-law, Gloria (Hal) Mullison of Flat Rock, N.C., Elnora (Ed Schulz) of Oxnard, Calif., and many nieces, nephews, cousins, colleagues and friends.
Archie was preceded in death by his parents, Claude and Ella Chapman in 1994 and grandson-in-law, Tom Bader.
Memorials are suggested to the United Methodist Church, Teammates Mentoring Program, York Dialysis Center or the Geneva Public Library.
Farmer and Son Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
