Harley Floyd Chapman Jr.

1942 - 2022

HARLEY FLOYD CHAPMAN JR. Harley Floyd Chapman, Jr., 80, of Oroville, CA, passed away on November 13 after a long battle with prostate cancer. Harley was born in Morrilton, AR on May 30, 1942, but soon after moved to Colton, CA. Harley was a star athlete and played in the 1954 LLWS along with 5 future pro baseball players including the Chicago Cubs 1962 ROY Ken Hubbs. He was an all-league tailback on the undefeated 1958 Colton HS Yellow Jackets football team and went on to play strong safety at Cal Poly Pomona. Harley was married to Eleanor Lavonne Gordon in 1963 and graduated college in 1966. They had their only son, John Harley Chapman, in 1970. Harley was a biology teacher / coach at Garey HS in Pomona for 6 years and then moved to Oroville in 1972 for a simpler, more rural life as the Feather River RPD supervisor. In 1980 he became the newly started Oroville Christian School's administrator for 4 years until spending the rest of his career as a Farmers insurance agent, retiring in 2006. Thereafter he was a part owner with his son of a group of ski and snowboard shops in Tahoe until their closure in 2014. In the last 8 years of his life, Harley became "pop pop" to his two precious granddaughters, Harley Jean and Jameson Faye, who were born in 2012 and 2016. In addition to his 6 years at Garey coaching football and baseball, Harley coached many successful youth teams in Oroville in the early 1980's including championship LL baseball and Rhino football teams. He followed his son to LPHS and coached both freshman and JV football and was the videographer / scout for varsity. In addition to his passion for sports, Harley loved music, was in a praise quartet, and served as a deacon at the EFC church in Oroville. Because of his lifelong faith, Harley came up with his trademark "until that time" - instead of goodbye - as the way that he would leave any conversation with you. Harley is survived by his wife of 59 years, Eleanor, as well as his son John. His father, Harley Sr. preceded him in passing in 2012 and his mother, Hilda Faye, in 2020. Harley touched so many people's lives - particularly the hundreds of youth he coached, taught and ministered to. Please join his family in celebrating his life on Saturday, December 10 at 12pm at the Evangelical Free Church in Oroville, CA.