Willard Jay Chapman (1922-2005)
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Posted: 05/10/05 - 12:00:29 am EDT
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Willard Jay Chapman, 82, of Ashland, Ky., died Monday, May 9, 2005, in Community Hospice Care Center in Ashland.
He was born Aug. 19, 1922, in Chapman (Lawrence County), Ky., a son of the late Zenas W. and Della Fugitt Chapman.
In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by a daughter, Sandra J. Chapman; and a twin brother, Willis Wray Chapman.
He worked 24 years with Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Kentucky, nine years with the Kentucky TB Hospital Commission, and three years with Kentucky-West Virginia Gas Co. He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church since 1961 and the Ashland Jaycees, where he was the former president and national director. He received the Ashland Key Man Award, was a member of the Ashland Rotary Club, where he was the former local president and district governor 6740, former local president of Ashland Toastmasters, former member of the Boyd County and State TB Association, where he formerly served as president and treasurer of Kentucky Lung Association. He was appointed by Gov. Wendell Ford to the Mobile Home Certification and Licensure Board in 1973 then re-appointed by the following four governors until he resigned in 1994 after 20 years of service. He was also appointed to the Selective Service Systems Local Board in 1982 by President Ronald Reagan, where he served for more than 20 years. He was a notary public for 25 years and received a Kentucky Colonel commission three times. He was former president of the Blue Grass Chapter of Hospital Accountants, former chairman of the FIVCO Health Council and a member of the FIVCO board. He made an unsuccessful run for Ashland city commissioner.
He served in World War II as an Army sergeant of combat engineers, served in the European Theater of Operation-3rd Army and received the Bronze Star and ETO Ribbon with three Battle stars, American Medal, WWII Victory Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.
Surviving are his wife, Dorothea Pascoe Chapman of Ashland; two daughters, Sheri S. (Jim) Dorton of Florence, Ky., and Cindy K. (Darryl) Smith of Ashland; a son, Ronnie J. (Donna) Chapman of Winchester, Ky.; three sisters, Wilma M. Chapman and Ada V. Franklin, both of Louisa, Ky., and Bonnie Marlene Hardin of Huntington, W.Va.; several nieces and nephews; grandchildren Jay P. Chapman, Betsy J. Chapman, Ryan Barger, Aaron Barger and Katelyn N. Bailey; and five stepgrandchildren.
The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Ashland by Pastor Mark A. Kloha. Entombment will be in Rose Hill Burial Park Mausoleum.
Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Steen Funeral Home-Central Avenue Chapel in Ashland and from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday at the church.
Friends may make contributions to Community Hospice House, 1538 Central Ave., Ashland, KY 41101, or St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1320 Bath Ave., Ashland, KY 41101.
