Alva Dale Chapman

Alva Dale Chapman
Alva Dale Chapman of Louisville, Kentucky and formerly of Tellico Village, Tennessee and Verona, Wisconsin, passed away on February 7th, 2022 in Louisville.
A life tribute for Dale will be held later this summer in Wisconsin.
Dale was born in his parent's farmhouse in rural Tomah, Wisconsin to Alva and Sadie (Post) Chapman on July 28th, 1935. He was the third child of Alva and Sadie who had six children.
In March of 1943, Dale's family packed up all their belongings into a semi and a 1939 Plymouth. This included their Guernsey cows, a team of horses, a Shetland pony named Billy, and the few pieces of farm machinery that they owned. They moved onto the Lloyd Hoffman farm on Gust Road near Verona.
In May of 1952, Dale graduated with Verona High School's class of 29 students. He was 16 years old and with his older brother Reuben in the service, it was his duty to stay and help on the farm. He would work all week, and if he was lucky, his Dad would let him use the old 1941 Roadmaster Buick to go on a date.
On July 7th, 1956, after 4 years of going dancing at Club 18, and driving his girlfriend around on his milk collecting routes while serenading her to tunes like "Secret Love" and "I Believe," Dale married the love of his life, Elizabeth Frye, at Springdale Lutheran Church in Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin.
From 1957 to 1960, Dale was proud to be in the U.S. Air Force, and was stationed for the majority of his tour in Wiesbaden, Germany. Liz remembers being very proud of him when he marched in the NATO Parade and he sang with the Air Force Keynoter Choir in a church in Wichita Falls, Texas. All of the songs were from the musical "Oklahoma."
In 1963, Dale graduated with a Bachelors of Business degree from Madison Business College, with a major in Accounting. After Madison Business College, he worked as an accountant for Robertson Transportation Company. A few years later, Dale located a job as an accountant at American Breeders Service in rural DeForest. He was employed there for 25 years, and then he lost his job because of down-sizing. He thought he might as well try a different type of work, and he was hired to do janitorial work at the new Mt. Horeb Middle School. Before his retirement, he was hired to work in the Mt. Horeb Area School District Business Office which he says was the best job he ever had!
Dale's son Kevin was born in 1966 and Kent was born in 1968. Dale and Liz were kept busy with the boys and when they were old enough, they joined the Springdale 4-H club. Dale was active in all aspects of their lives, helping them with raising rabbits and woodworking which was one of his favorite hobbies. When Kevin and Kent were old enough they played T-ball and Pitch Little League baseball. Dale was always the supportive Dad coaching them and spending countless hours in front of Grandpa Frye's barn throwing batting practice. He never missed a sporting event when his boys were in high school, and he usually ended up with high blood pressure because of the referees and "sometimes" the coaches' decisions! He taught his boys how to play golf at Pleasant View Golf course in Middleton, Wisconsin. Dale didn't start playing golf until later in life, but his love of the game was passed down even to his grandchildren and there were several times that Dale showed off his short game with three generations of Chapmans on the course together.
One of Dale's favorite adventures occurred in July of 1991. Dale and Art Elver, one of his great friends, drove to the Grand Canyon. They hiked the Bright Angel Trail together. Dale spoke about this trip often. The wildlife they encountered, the steepness of the trails, and refilling their canteens with mule deer only a few feet away, were a few of his favorite highlights.
In October, 1992 Liz was diagnosed as being in the early stages of Parkinson's disease. She decided to continue working as long as she could at the library at Mt. Horeb High School. Dale was her loving and supporting caregiver for 28 years, and spent every day with her for 4 years while she was in the nursing home before her passing.
In 1998 Dale started working part-time for Gene Woller at Gentle Breeze Honey. It was truly a learning experience for him as he was taught the art of scrapping flats, building hives, assembling comb flats and extracting the honey. Dale even helped with the delivering the honey to stores throughout southern Wisconsin and Liz would even ride with him to keep him company.
In June of 2000, Dale and Liz decided against another cold Wisconsin winter and made a move to Tellico Village in Tennessee. They joined the local church where Dale sang in the choir. During the summer months, Dale kept busy golfing and making Eastern Bluebird houses. He completed a bluebird trail with 80 bluebird houses that he built by hand and placed along the 36 hole golf course where they lived. He was an avid record keeper and he and Liz would drive their golf cart along the paths and check each of the bird houses in the spring and summer. He documented over 300 bluebirds that fledged in the houses he put up.
In 2012, another move was in order and Dale and Liz headed to Louisville Kentucky to be near Kent and his family. A wonderful retirement community called Wesley Manor was now home. Dale and Liz joined St. Stephen Lutheran church and Liz once again enjoyed hearing Dale sing in the choir on Sundays.
In the fall of 2021, Dale and his family visited Wisconsin to scatter Liz's ashes and reconnect with old friends. Dale spoke about this trip often over the last few months. He was so very thankful to spend time with his brother and sister and to enjoy a wonderful Friday night Fish Fry with his lifelong friends from Wisconsin.
Dale is preceded in death by his wife, Elizabeth Chapman; his parents, Alva and Sadie Chapman; and siblings Doris Chapman, Reuben Chapman, and Bob Chapman.
Dale is survived by his sons Kevin Chapman, Kent (Tamara) Chapman; siblings, Ruth Chapman, Red (Diann) Chapman; and grandchildren Weston Chapman, Alyssa Holmes, Carter Chapman and Kenna Chapman.
As an expression of sympathy, cards or memorial contributions can be sent c/o Kent Chapman at 5509 Rock Valley Way, Louisville, KY 40241. All contributions will be donated to Springdale Lutheran church in Dale's name.
Dale's sons wish to extend their sincere thanks to those special people that took care of Dale at the Wesley Manor, and Wickshire Senior Living in Louisville, Kentucky. Their caring and patient manner helped make his final days more comfortable.