Mr. Howard Dewitt Chapman

Howard DeWitt Chapman was born December 15, 1921 and passed away Sunday, January 6, 2013. He was born in Hartsville, SC to the late Charlie and Pauline Griggs Chapman. He and his wife, Bessie K. Chapman met and married when they were very young and celebrated 70 years of marriage in 2008. In September of 1943, after working at Sonoco, he volunteered for service during World War II. On a path to become a pilot, he passed tests for the Aviation Cadet Corps, and completed basic training in Miami and was assigned to a B-17 crew in Columbus, OH. He was then sent to the University of Pittsburg to complete Cadet training. After several months he received orders to go to San Antonio, TX for preflight training and then on to Amarillo, TX for engineering training. From one side of the country to the other for a very young man who had never been out of SC. His class was able to do some flying, but before he completed his training, word came of the Japanese surrender. They were told to sign up for postwar service or that the ones who had volunteered could go home. In 1949, he entered the National Guard in Hartsville and served in various units until he retired from active duty in 1969. He continued in the Reserved Corps until 1975 when he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. Through the years he was active in many businesses, primarily finance and real estate, always with his wife, Bessie at his side. He was preceded in death by his brother, Harry Chapman of Hartsville; sister, Margie Watson of Atlanta, GA; sister-in-law Lucille Chapman of Hartsville. In addition to his widow, he is survived by his daughter, Ann Brown; grandsons, Ron (Renee) Brown, Mark Brown; granddaughter, Elizabeth “Bess” Brown; and the “light in his life” great-grandchildren, Sadie and Cameron. Other survivors include his brother, Raymond (Retha) Chapman of Hartsville; sister-in-law, Margie Spires of Hartsville; brother-in-law, C.E. Spires of Salisbury, NC, several nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church, 104 E. Home Ave., Hartsville, SC 29550, or to Hospice Care of South Carolina, 401 N. Fifth St. Hartsville, SC 29550. The family would like to thank Hospice Care of South Carolina and feels that they will be forever indebted to them for their care, comfort, and support during the last few weeks. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 9, 2013 at the First Baptist Church Chapel with entombment in Westview Memorial Park Mausoleum. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7p.m. Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at Brown-Pennington-Atkins Funeral Home.

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Mr. Howard Dewitt Chapman

December 15, 1921 - January 6, 2013