Charlie Chapman

Charlie was born on February 8, 1921 in Lone Oak, Texas, the seventh son of Bill and Odar Chapman. He was raised in the northeast Texas cotton farming community of Lone Oak, graduated from Lone Oak High School and after proudly serving his country in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II in China and India, Charlie earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture from Texas Tech State Teachers College in Lubbock.

Charlie married his sweetheart and life-long partner, Gail Kathleen Passons, in March 1946. They moved to Austin in May 1951 to begin his career as the Chief of the Plant Quarantine Division with the Texas Department of Agriculture. During his tenure with TDA, Charlie played a pivotal role in the research and control of the boll weevil which threatened the state's cotton industry. The 1972 Texas Legislature passed a bill regulating the pest control industry and Governor Preston Smith appointed Charlie as the Director of the newly formed Structural Pest Control Board from which he retired in 1986.

During their 70-year marriage, Charlie and Gail raised three children, made annual visits to Garner State Park, Red River, New Mexico and many other destinations throughout the United States. He faithfully served in the Baptist church, enjoyed vegetable gardening, tending his "girls" (cows), listening to gospel music and hunting with buddies. Always, he was happy to be home with Gail and their family. He will always be remembered as a faithful friend to many, a pretty good joke teller and a great Dad and He-pa.

Charlie was preceded in death by his ten siblings. He is survived by his beloved wife, Gail, daughters Cathy Harkins and husband Tim of Hays County; Carol Nelson and husband, David of Marble Falls; son Charles Chapman of Austin; granddaughter Catherine Bedell and husband Kent of Austin; grandson Dave Helms and wife Amy of Denton; great granddaughters Hayden Grace Bedell, Harper Kate Bedell, Alison Brooke Helms and Rachel Katherine Helms.

Serving as pallbearers will be Ben Baisdon, Rucker Hoskins, David Ivie, Bill Miller, Fred Russell and Jim Sessions. Honorary pallbearers will be the men and women of Charlie and Gail's much loved Adult 5 Sunday School class at Hillcrest Baptist Church.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 1, 2016 and visitation will be at 1:00 p.m. preceding the chapel service at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home on North Lamar. Burial will follow at Austin Memorial Park.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hillcrest Baptist Church, Building Fund, 3838 Steck Avenue, Austin, Texas 78759.