Donald "Don" C. Chapman

1932 - 2014

Donald C. (Don) Chapman


1932 - 2014




Donald C. (Don) Chapman was born on August 6, 1932 in Ventura, California to Fredrick L. and Rafelita I. Chapman. Don passed away peacefully on July 28, 2014 at age 81 after coping with cancer for many years.

Don was a seventh generation Californian and was very proud of his California heritage which he spent many years researching. Don was a descendant of Jose Francisco Ortega who was the lead scout of the Portola Expedition of 1769 and the first European to discover San Francisco Bay. Don's great-great grandfather was Joseph Chapman (Jose el Ingles) who came to raid California in 1818 with the Argentinean privateer, Hippolyte Bouchard, was captured, married Ortega's granddaughter and became a respected citizen of Spain and then Mexico. Joseph Chapman is noted for being the first California logger of record, for building the first sawmill in California and also its first sea-going sailing ship and for the many other contributions he made to the California Missions.

Don moved from Ventura to Trinity County with his family in 1950 at age 18. There he worked as a firefighter with the U.S. Forest Service in the Trinity and Modoc Forests until he was inducted into the army in 1952. He served in the Korean War and its aftermath with the 64th Field Artillery Battalion of the 25th Infantry Division. His leadership and hard work advanced him to a sergeant and chief of the firing battery. He rotated home in 1954.

Upon returning from the Korean War Don attended Shasta College on the GI Bill, where he met his loving wife, Carollyn. They were married on February 3, 1957 and immediately moved to San Francisco so that Don could attend San Francisco State University while Carollyn worked at the Crocker Bank to help put him through college.

In his senior year Don was awarded an internship with the national Public Accounting firm, Arthur Young & Company, and he joined their staff in San Francisco after graduation. He became a CPA and shortly thereafter found an opportunity to return to the Redding area to take a job with the U.S. Plywood Corporation. He spent thirteen great years with the "Plywood" side of Champion International. Most of the "Plywood" years were spent in Redding; however, one was spent in New York City and the balance in Eugene, Oregon where his last position was Director of Management Services for the West Coast. In 1974 he joined Crown Zellerbach Corporation in Portland, Oregon as the Financial and Administrative Manager for Northwest Timber and Wood Products.

Though Don's career required multiple relocations for Carollyn and Don and their five children, their hearts remained in Redding and in 1978 they were able to return their family to Redding. Don took a position as the Controller of Redding Steel where he remained until he left in January of 1982 to join the Bank of California in Redding. He served as a Vice President and Regional Manager through the merger with Union Bank from which he retired in 1998. Don then joined Tehama Bank (now Umpqua Bank) in order to open their first full-service branch in Redding. After serving as their Vice President and Manager for three years he again retired.

After nearly a year of relative inactivity during which time he was treated for his first major bout with cancer, he went to work in 2002 part-time for Northern Valley Catholic Social Service (NVCSS) in Redding as their Chief Financial Officer where he had was an active Board member. In 2007 he became their Executive Director. He thoroughly enjoyed this last phase of his long career. He remained with NVCSS in this position until he retired on February 28, 2014.

Don strongly believed in giving back to the Redding community he cherished.

From 1978 to the present his causes have included: serving on the Boards of and as Chairman of both St. Joseph's Parish Finance Committee and School Advisory Board; Chairman of St. Francis Middle School Advisory Board; Board Member Northern Valley Catholic Social Service; Board Member and Chairman of Mercy Medical Center Advisory Board; Member and Chairman of the Economic Development Corporation of Shasta County's Board; Board Member Turtle Bay Exploration Park and many others. As a result of his service and business acumen he was named Citizen of the Year by the Record Searchlight for the year of 2003, Greater Redding Chamber of Commerce's Business Man of the Year in 1989 and Virgil Covington Award as Banker of the year in 1997, among other awards.
Don enjoyed his family, good friends, good books and good jokes. He was particularly interested in California history. He liked to travel, to go camping and to take an occasional fishing trip.

Don had a great impact on countless people's lives over the course of his life and his career. He was a mentor, counselor, caring husband and father, jokester, advisor and a treasured friend to many people. This was evidenced by the endless cards, notes, phone calls and visitors that poured in during his last few months. He greatly appreciated those acts of kindness and the sentiments shared.

Don is survived by his wife, Carollyn, to whom he was married for 57 years, daughter Kathleen Chapman Zeutzius of Los Angeles, son David Chapman and David's wife Maria of Redding, and daughter Teresa Ferrari of Montague. He was predeceased in death by sons, John and Joseph, brother Fred G. Chapman, sister Florence Chapman, parents Rafelita and Fred L. Chapman, and step father Tom Evers. He is survived by his brother, Cliff Chapman of Fortuna, sister, Eleanor Kresge of Sacramento and step sister Linda Bennett of Redding. He is also survived by four grandchildren: Alyssa Zeutzius, Victoria Zeutzius, Macy Ferrari and Michael Chapman as well as numerous nephews and nieces.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, August 6th at 11 am at St. Joseph Church in Redding, CA. Burial with Military Honors at St. Joseph Cemetery to follow with a Reception following at the Elk's Lodge.

A Rosary service will be held Tuesday evening August 5th at 7 pm at St. Joseph Church.

Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to Northern Valley Catholic Social Service, 2400 Washington Avenue, Redding, CA 96001 or to Mercy Hospice, 2625 Edith Avenue, Suite E, Redding, CA 96001.

Please sign the guestbook at http://obituaries.redding.com