James Harvey Chapman Jr.

1948 - 2024

James Harvey Chapman, Jr. left for his final hunting trip on Thursday, July 4, 2024. Harvey was born on Dec. 30, 1948 in Huntington, West Virginia to the late James Harvey Chapman, Sr. and Norma Lee Bocook.

 

Harvey proudly served his country in the U. S. Navy during the Vietnam War. He retired as a mechanic from Georgia Power after over 40 years of service and as the Regional Safety Coordinator. While working at Georgia Power he was always willing to travel many places all over the south to help after catastrophic events.

 

He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints where he held many offices, but his favorite was working with the youth. He took many young men under his wings through the Scouting and Young Men’s programs and became a second father to many. Over the years he led the youth on countless hikes up countless mountain trails and rafting trips down rivers. He taught them how to prepare for the trip, cook over an open fire, sleep in the “wild” and how to leave nature in better shape than when they got there. Many young men will tell you they learned to cook while cooking Hobo Dinners while camping. He taught them gun safety, knife safety and how to shoot with a bow & arrow and many other rules of life, not only through his words but, most importantly, through his actions. Harvey was always willing to serve his friends and church members through his Home Teaching. He was the “go to” guy when you had a problem with just about anything mechanical.

 

Harvey loved hunting and looked forward to the start of bow season every year. The start any hunting season was written on his calendar and his family knew not to plan anything that included him during that period. While he was often lucky enough to kill, he only shot what they would eat. He often complained he sat out there for hours and didn’t see anything. He spent many hours on Rocky Mountain at his favorite place which he called his front porch. He would often go sit on his front porch throughout the year, just watching nature. He never really cared for cell phones until he found out he could put out a game camera and watch it from his phone.

 

Harvey was an avid musician and loved listening to music, playing music with his friends and going to concerts. He loved playing one of his many guitars. If he wasn’t out in the woods, riding his lawnmower around the yard cutting his grass several times a week, he could be found in his music room playing his guitar. Many of his music playing friends gathered at his house of Fridays to jam. They loved playing Lynard Skynard, Allman Brothers, Eagles, Joe Bonamassa, Creedence Clearwater Revival or Alvin Lee among others.

 

He married the love of his life, Sheila Diane Smith, on Aug. 1971. Sheila preceded him in death on May 3, 2024 after 52 years of marriage. He and Sheila would often take off for the day and drive to Cade’s Cove, TN. Over their 52 years of marriage the family thinks they made well over 300 trips there, sometimes just for the day. They celebrated most of their wedding anniversaries at Cade’s Cove.

 

Harvey is survived by his 4 children, daughters: Neisha (Dave) White, Idaho Falls, ID and Sareah Chapman, Rome, GA; sons: Trey (LeAnn) Chapman and Jared (Tiffany) Chapman, both of Rome,

GA; grandchildren, Dayton (Leisel) White and Narissa White of Littleton, CO, Dallin (Katie) White of Grand Rapids, MI; Lillie Chapman, Jubilee Kirby, Ashton Kirby and Kalibre Kirby, all of Rome, GA, and Kyra Schumacher of Cartersville, GA; great-grandchildren, Rose and Landon White, both of Grand Rapids, MI; his siblings, sisters: Elaine (Dave) Winslow, Jacksonville, AL, Rhonda (Randy) Thompson, Cedartown, GA, and brothers: Steve (Vickie) Chapman, Rockmart, GA and Mark Chapman, Centre, AL. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews and countless friends who will miss him so very much.

 

Visitation for James Harvey Chapman, Jr. will be held on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 from 1:00 until the funeral hour at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 3300 Garden Lakes Pkwy. Rome, GA 30161. Memorial services will be at 2:00 at the church.

 

Henderson & Sons Funeral, South Chapel is honored to served the family of James Harvey Chapman, Jr.