Jean LaRue Chapman

The descendants of Bonner and Maggie Badger, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Texas Longhorns lost their biggest fan on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at the age of 91.

Jean LaRue Badger Chapman was born on October 6, 1934, in Lometa, Texas, the youngest of seven sisters. Growing up in Lometa, she attended all her school years there-just eleven, as she skipped a grade and graduated at age sixteen in 1951. Those brilliant, beautiful sisters and doting parents not only poured their love into her, they also shared their keen minds and sharp wits to mold Jean into a lifelong learner and reader. She was a cheerleader for the Lometa Hornets, excelled in basketball, tennis, softball and ran track. Her pride in those early accomplishments grew into a lifelong passion for sports-especially the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Longhorns.

In 1951, while working at the local drugstore, Jean met Durwood Truett "Dick" Chapman when the U.S. Air Force came to Lometa for maneuvers. Their story took flight soon after, when married April 28, 1952. For the next 20 years, they gave their life to the Air Force and moved to Webb Air Force Base in Big Spring then Jean came home to Lometa with beautiful daughter Vikki in 1953 while Dick served a year in Japan. From there, they went to Mississippi, then to Cape Cod back to Johnston Air Force Base in Japan for three years, where beautiful daughter Lisa was born in 1960. They returned to the states and lived at Edwards Air Force Base in California for three years before returning to Lometa where Jean and the girls stayed for eighteen months while Dick served in South Korea. His next assignment was at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio for eight years then to Austin in 1966 where they bought the home at 2202 Brookhill Drive and would remain there for fifty two years. Jean's final move was the five miles to Vikki's house in 2018, where she was surrounded by the love and laughter of family.

Jean was preceded in death by her parents Bonner and Maggie Badger; her sisters Merle Davis, Rene Underwood, Carolyn Dean, LaVerne Maxwell, Cora Bell Ferguson, and Wandi Whitley; her daughter Lisa Burrows; and son-in-law Lee Burrows. She is survived by daughter Vikki Anstey and husband Jack of Austin; grandson Jon Anstey and wife Elizabeth of Austin; granddaughter Kali Pantalone and husband Darrell Royal of Austin; granddaughter Erin Diegel and husband Lee of La Vernia; and grandson Tyler Burrows and wife Lindsey of La Vernia, great-grandsons DJ Pantalone, Truett Anstey, Connor Diegel, and Griffin Burrows: great-granddaughters Kalyn Pantalone, Tabitha Anstey, Kennedy Diegel, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

A graveside service under the direction of Harrell Funeral Home in Austin will be held at noon on Friday, November 7, at Center Cemetery near Lometa in Lampasas County, with visitation beginning at 11:30 a.m. at the cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the American Heart Association, or the charity of your choice.