Obituary of Lewis Chapman

Lewis Edward Chapman, age 92 of Manhattan, passed away Monday, September 20, 2021 at his residence. He was born on November 9, 1928, on a ranch outside of Clayton, NM, the son of Fred and Dilla (Criner) Chapman. The Dirty ‘30’s devastated that area, killing his mother.  His father relocated his young family to Kansas, where some of his siblings went to live with distant relatives, due to monetary constraints. Lewis was on the basketball team and graduated from Frankfort High School. He married Audrey F. Webster and joined the Navy (1952 – 1956), during the Korean War.  His ship took an incoming bomb, and he developed PTSD (which was undiagnosed at that time, and was never treated for).  Lewis was awarded the Korean Service Medal (2 engagement stars) and the United Nations Service Medal, among other medals. His only child was born during his military service. After the death of this first wife, he married June Hughes. Lewis had a variety of jobs throughout his life to include working on a turkey ranch and as a school bus driver/janitor in Oregon, and owning/operating the gas station in Cleburne, KS, then culminating as Supervisor of the KSU Horticulture Farm on Ashland Bottoms, where he worked from 1965 until his retirement in 2000. Lewis was an outdoors person, spending hours walking in the woods and hills of his property in Ashland Bottoms with his dog. He enjoyed setting bank lines along the Kansas River and collecting the catfish in the predawn hours in his row boat. He square danced with both of his wives for many years. He loved playing Canasta, Pinochle, and Pitch with family and members of the communities where he lived. He always grew productive vegetable gardens. His greatest love was joking with relatives and meeting/talking with people. Lewis contracted COVID-19 in a nursing home where he had been residing for the past 2 years.  With the coordinated effort of his Reverend, and the couple who now own his farm, and his daughter and son-in-law, Lewis was relocated to his farm shortly prior to his death, as per his final request. He is survived by one daughter, Kathleen Chapman-Hadle and husband Gary Hadle of Topeka; one brother, seven nieces and four nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, two wives, one sister, four brothers, one niece, and one nephew. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at the Riley Cemetery with Rev. Paul Barkey officiating. In lieu of flowers, a memorial may be made to Ashland Community Church and left in care of the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home.