Donaldson Chapman

Donaldson Chapman
Donaldson Chapman, 91, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday, September 14, 2021, at Anthology of the Plaza, Kansas City, Missouri.
He was born the only son of Ruth Nothnagel and Donaldson Chapman, Sr., on April 27, 1930, at their home in Chillicothe, Missouri.
On October 4, 1959, he married Nan Nichols Chapman at the First Christian Church in Chillicothe, Missouri. They were married for nearly 62 years. She survives of the home.
He was a proud 1948 graduate of Chillicothe High School. He played football throughout his high school years and was the first President of the CHS Student Council. In later years, he loved to cheer on the Hornets, especially when his son or grandson played on the team.
He started his college years at Westminster College, where he became a member of Phi Delta Theta. He then transferred to the University of Missouri, graduating in 1954 with both a Bachelor's Degree and a Juris Doctorate. Immediately following graduation, he joined the United States Army, stationed in Germany, and served from 1954 until 1956 with the Artillery.
Don returned to Chillicothe after his service in the Army, joined the Chapman Law Firm, where he became part of the third generation to practice law in that firm. He ran for Livingston County Prosecutor in 1956, was elected and served eight years as the county's prosecutor through 1964. Throughout this time, he was also in private law practice, serving clients throughout Northwest Missouri - which he did for 58 years, until his retirement in early 2014. He was an active member of the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel (ACTEC) for many years.
He was involved in the Chillicothe area community - truly helping to make a lasting impact on the community he loved. He was a founding and/or original member of the Chillicothe Development Corporation, the Chillicothe Area Arts Council, the Livingston County Community Foundation, the Jerry Litton Foundation, and the Chillicothe Rotary Foundation. He was also a member of the Livingston County Republican Central Committee, the Rotary Club of Chillicothe, the Chillicothe R-2 School Board, Masonic Friendship Lodge #89, Chillicothe Elks Lodge #656, Travelers Protective Association, Roy L. Burkett VFW Post #858, the Vern R. Glick American Legion Post #25, and the First Baptist Church of Chillicothe. Don was also a proud Eagle Scout and member of the Tribe of Mic-O-Say.
Don loved spending time with his family, skiing in Breckenridge, Colorado, where the family had a house for many years, and watching area sports teams including the Missouri Tigers and the Kansas City Chiefs. He loved to travel - visiting all seven continents, with some of his favorite trips being Russia and China soon after they opened for tourism. Don was a character - there are many "Don Stories" that have become legend in the family and among friends. He was a loving husband and father, a loyal friend, an accomplished attorney, a community-minded servant, a strong conservative, and an enthusiastic investor.
Survivors include four children:  David Donaldson Chapman (Angie) of Kansas City, Missouri, Mary Nan Dupont (Mike Thiessen) of Leawood, Kansas, Thomas Nichols Chapman (Lindy) of Chillicothe, Missouri, and Phillip Nolan Chapman of Kansas City, Missouri.  They have 14 grandchildren:  Nicholas Chapman Dupont of Tucson, Arizona; Elisabeth Nan Dupont of Rochester, Minnesota; Caroline Frances Dupont of San Diego, California; Samuel Donaldson Chapman (Grace) of Prairie Village, Kansas; Claire Nichols Chapman of Columbia, Missouri; Cuba Thomas Wagner Chapman of Seattle, Washington; Lewis Alexander Chapman of Kansas City, Missouri; Callaway Marie Chapman of Chillicothe, Missouri; Anne Kathryn Chapman of Kansas City, Missouri; Alexandra Monroe Chapman, Cecilia Kathleen Chapman, Georgia Ruth Chapman, and Mary Eloise Chapman of Blue Springs, Missouri, and Briana Thiessen Ford (Drew) of Paola, Kansas.  They have 3 great-grandchildren:  Theodore Mott Chapman, Tavian Alexander Ford, and Breckin Michael Ford. Don was preceded in death by his parents, Ruth and Donaldson Chapman, Sr., and aunts, Clyta Raulie, Clara Minnick, and Vera Hunt.
Funeral services will be held at the First Baptist Church, Chillicothe, Missouri, on Friday, September 17, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. A scheduled visitation will be held at the First Baptist Church, Chillicothe, Missouri, on Friday, September 17, 2021, from 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Friends may call at the Lindley Funeral Home, Chillicothe, Missouri, on Thursday, September 16, 2021, from 12 noon until 8:00 p.m. Burial will be held at Edgewood Cemetery, Chillicothe, Missouri. Memorial contributions may be made to the Chillicothe Rotary Foundation and/or the Livingston County Community Foundation and/or the First Baptist Church of Chillicothe and may be left at or mailed to Lindley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 47, Chillicothe, Missouri 64601. Online condolences may be made at www.lindleyfuneralhomes.com .
Arrangements are under the direction of Lindley Funeral Home, Chillicothe, Missouri.