Mr. Donald A. Chapman

December 12, 1921 - January 23, 2011

Donald A. Chapman, 89 of Normal, IL, formerly of Lowell, died at 5:15 a.m., Sunday - January 23, 2011 at Sugar Creek Care Center, Normal, IL. Donald was born December 12, 1921 in Uxbridge, Massachusetts, the son of George H. and Anna Hall Chapman. He moved to Lowell, MA and graduated from Lowell High School and Northeastern University in Boston, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in 1943. He served in the United States Army from 1943-46, with duty in the Pacific theater. He married Dorothy J. O'Donnell April 13, 1946 in Lowell, and began his career with General Electric Co. in Lowell and Fitchburg, MA before moving to Schenectady, New York in 1947. In 1954, Donald moved to Normal, IL as one of the original engineers who opened the GE General Purpose Control plant in Bloomington, and later was appointed manager of the Manufacturing Engineering Department. In 1972, he became general manager of the GE plant in Avon Lake, Ohio, and in 1974, general manager of the GE plant in Selmer, Tennessee. He retired in 1984, returned to Bloomington in 2003 and moved back to Normal in 2010. The Chapmans also enjoyed their summer home in Laconia, NH from 1989-2009. Donald is survived by his wife, sons Alan (Kathie), Normal, IL, Barry (Jessie Norris), Urbana, IL and Spokane, WA, and Pete (Linda), Bakersfield, CA, daughter Nancy (Joel) Kindle, Riverton, WY, grandchildren Matt (Carrie) Chapman, Heather (Nate) Damery, and Todd (Corin) Chapman, all of Bloomington, IL, Elizabeth (Matt Mitchell) Majerus, Urbana, IL, John Kindle, Grand Forks, ND, James Kindle, Minneapolis, MN, Rory and Ryan Chapman, Ashley Aubrey and Adam Lopez, all of Bakersfield, CA, great-grandchildren Tyler and Madelynne Chapman, Carson and Campbell Damery, and Elise Chapman, all of Bloomington, IL, and Otis and Ruby Mitchell of Urbana, IL, and brother-in-law Richard Sykes of Laconia, NH. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Myrtle Sykes. Donald was formerly a member of United Methodist churches in New York, Illinois, and Tennessee, and a United Church of Christ in Ohio, and was currently a member of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Bloomington. His funeral will be 11:00 a.m., Tuesday at First United Baptist Church, 99 Church St. Lowell with the Rev. Dr. Joseph E. O'Donnell officiating. Burial will follow in Lowell Cemetery, Lowell, Mass. Visitation will be 1 hour prior to the service at the church. Memorials may be made to First Christian Church, (Disciples of Christ) 401 W. Jefferson St., Bloomington, IL 61701. Fay McCabe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. On line condolences may be emailed at www.calvertmemorial.com