Nevada Chapman

Nevada Chapman, 75, died Monday, April 26, 2010 at Memorial Hospital in Gulfport due to complications of diabetes and heart disease.
He leaves his wife of 50 years, Brenda (Conner) Chapman; his daughter, Lisa Dawn Chapman of Missouri City, Texas; his son, Brent Nevada Chapman of Houston, Texas; his daughter Kelly Lynn Case and her husband, Brian Case; his son Curt Conner Chapman and his wife, Roselyn Chapman of Gulfport; his siblings Vel, Starrett, Barrett, Oleta, Merita, and Hank; four grandchildren, Aaron Aubrey, Amber Aubrey, Megan Case Pearson, and Nathan Case; a large extended family; and many friends and Christian brothers and sisters.
He was preceded in death by his parents Hugh Ralph aÌ‚â‚Å“Redâ₝ and Lottie Chapman and by his brother L.H.
Born and raised in Ripley, he attended Chapman and Pine Grove schools. In his early years, Nevada helped work his familyaÌ‚â‚â„¢s farm. He was athletic, handsome, outgoing and well liked by the guys and gals alike, played the guitar and was always ready with a joke or a song, preferably by Hank Williams. Growing up with seven siblings meant he was never without a story to tell on one of them and his children loved to hear these exciting tales. At the age of eighteen he moved to Memphis to make his own way and began working for Big Star grocery where he learned to be a meat cutter. He was soon drafted into the U.S. Army where he excelled as a competition sharpshooter. When he was released from active duty he met and married Brenda Conner in 1959. They and their first two children made their home in Memphis until 1967 when they moved to a farm near Corinth, MS. He continued as a meat cutter and began to farm with his brother Vel. There the two younger children were added to the family.
In 1971 he began a new career as an insurance agent for Liberty National Life Insurance Co. He moved his family from the farm into the town of Ripley where they stayed for less than a year before moving to Long Beach in 1973. In 1979 he started his own insurance agency which eventually became known as Chapman & Jarrard Insurance. When he retired in 2004 his son Curt took over part of the agency and renamed it Chapman Insurance.
Nevada enjoyed spending time with his family, traveling to many destinations including many foreign countries, and was always active in church including Chapman Church of Christ in Ripley, Macon Road Church of Christ in Memphis, Knight Arnold Church of Christ in Memphis, Foot Street Church of Christ in Corinth, Kossuth Church of Christ, Ripley Church of Christ, and finally Long Beach Church of Christ. He was an awesome cook! He enjoyed spoiling a long line of cats and dogs, but, more than anything, he was content to just be with his beloved wife Brenda.
Nevada was beloved as a church deacon, song leader, mentor, singer, guitar picker, jokester, generous giver and story-teller. Everyone lined up for his wonderful cooking, especially at church fellowships and family gatherings. His four children were honored to host a reception for Nevada and BrendaaÌ‚â‚â„¢s fiftieth anniversary last fall. He was well loved and will be missed in too many ways to count.
A family visitation will be held Wednesday, April 28 from 5-7pm followed by a funeral service at 7pm at RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 19128 Commission Road, Long Beach. A family visitation will be held Thursday, April 29 at 3pm followed by a service at 4pm at Chapman Church of Christ, 250 County Road 550, Ripley, MS, to be followed by burial in the church cemetery.
The family wishes to thank Dr. Chris White (Ochsner Hospital), Dr. Joseph OaÌ‚â‚â„¢Gorman and Dr. Paul Mullen for their dedicated care for Nevada.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Long Beach Church of Christ, 200 North Cleveland Ave., Long Beach, MS, 39560.