Elbert M. Chapman Sr.

Elbert Monroe Chapman Sr., 83, of George Hildebran School Road, Hickory, died Thursday, Jan. 4, 2007, at Frye Regional Medical Center following a brief illness. Mr. Chapman was born on May 27, 1923, in Burke County to the late Ernest E. Chapman and Dorothy Stevens Chapman. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran, and was a retired mechanic from Armstrong Ford. He was a member of Wilkie's Grove Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife, Pearl H. Chapman, of the home; two sons, Elbert M. "Jimmy" Chapman Jr. of Charlotte and Douglas George "Doug" Chapman and his wife, Lori, of Hickory; one daughter, Barbara Ann Chapman Barton and her husband, Bill, of Greensboro; one brother, Edwin R. "Pete" Chapman and his wife, Martha, of Conover; nine grandchildren, Laura Thompson, Jennifer Barton, Maria Barton, Justin Chapman, Elisabeth Chapman, Abigail Chapman, Lydia Chapman, Amelia Chapman and Eli Chapman; and one great-grandchild, Cameron Thompson. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, George Chapman and Willard Chapman; and a sister, Edith Rhoney. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Wilkie's Grove Baptist Church with the Revs. Ray Raymer and Wesley Taylor officiating. Interment will follow in the Wilkie's Grove Baptist Church Cemetery with military rites by American Legion Post No. 234. The family will receive friends from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at Heritage Funeral Service in Valdese where the body will remain until placed in the church 30 minutes prior to the funeral hour. Memorial gifts may be made to Wilkie's Grove Baptist Church Building Fund, 5780 Wilkie's Grove Church Road, Hickory, NC 28602. Heritage Funeral Service in Valdese is serving the family. An online guestbook and obituary is available at www.heritagefuneralservices.com.