Norman Hudson Chapman

The funeral for Norman Hudson Chapman, 92, of Shady Cove, Oregon, who died May 17, 2019, will be held at 11 a.m., May 29, 2019, at the Eagle Point, Oregon, National Cemetery. Memory Gardens Mortuary in Medford, Oregon, is coordinating his services.

He was born in Ekalaka, Montana on June 3, 1926 into a ranching family shortly before The Great Depression in 1926, learning that hard work was a necessity in life. The son of Harry James Chapman and Dora Ann Terry, Norman had 6 brothers and sisters: Wes, Alan, Ted, Warren, Hyacinth and Millicent,

In July 1943, at the age of 17 he answered the call of the nation and enlisted in the U.S. Navy during WWII, serving in the Asiatic-Pacific. He was on board ship when the end of the war was announced. He was discharged from the Navy and then re-enlisted in the Coast Guard completing his service in 1946, just turning 20 years old. He returned to Montana where he married Gladys Irene Ward in 1948. In 1950, he went to work for the Veterans Hospital in Miles City as a Supervisor in Dietetics. His daughter Deborah and sons Patrick and Norman (Larry) were all born in Montana. Norman transferred to the Veterans Domiciliary in White City, Oregon, in 1955 as Food Production Manager. He and Gladys divorced in 1967.

Norman and Nina Pauline (Polly) Vroman were married in the fall of 1968 and lived in Eagle Point, Oregon, before moving to Shady Cover, Oregon in 1975. Norman and Polly resided continually in Shady Cove, Oregon, where she died in 2002 and he remained until just months before his recent passing.

Survivors include his daughter Deborah Ryan and husband Michael of Salem, Oregon, his brother Wes and his wife Karen of Ashland, Oregon, his step-daughter Deb Vroman of Medford, Oregon, and step-sons Steven Vroman of Sterling, Alaska and David Vroman of Kenai, Alaska, 15 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Norman was preceded in death by his wife Polly, his sons Patrick and Larry and his sisters and brothers, with Wes being his last remaining sibling.