Rita Chapman Obituary
Rita was born in 1936 in Brookville, Ohio. She married Nicholas Chapman in June 1956, and together they built a life centered on love, family, and shared adventure. Rita was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother who cherished every moment spent with her family. She balanced her dedication to her loved ones with a successful career in the insurance industry.
Rita enjoyed traveling and creating treasured memories on family vacations to Myrtle Beach, Los Angeles, Chicago, and many other cities. In retirement, she and Nicholas relocated to Summerfield, Florida, where they formed a wonderful network of friends and embraced an active social life. Rita filled her days with scrapbooking, playing cards, golfing, and listening to music. She was a proud member of the Red Hat Ladies social club and the "Hole in the Wall" dinner club. She was deeply spiritual and especially passionate about animal welfare.
After Nicholas's passing, Rita lived for several years in Aurora, Illinois, with her daughter Lisa and granddaughters Nicole and Emily. Most recently, she made her home in Eagle Mountain, Utah, with her daughter Jacqueline.
Rita is survived by her daughters, Pamela Chapman; Jacqueline Sorensen (Knute Sorensen); and Lisa Vydra; her grandchildren, Lucia Varlotta (Marco Ferri), Luca Varlotta, Dayne Sorensen (fiancée Emily Steuart), Mace Sorensen (Amanda Sorensen), Chelsea Taylor (Dusty Taylor), Nicole Vydra, and Emily Vydra; as well as her beloved great-grandchildren, Ronan, Blythe, Levi, Regan, Sonja, and Thorin.
A private Celebration of Life will be held by the family on March 28, 2026, in Eagle Mountain, Utah.
Friends and family are invited to sign the guestbook or share memories.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to your favorite animal charity in Rita's honor.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
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2500 S Decker Lake Blvd Suite 1, Salt Lake City, UT 84119
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