James Lloyd Chapman

Jim Chapman was born in La Grande, OR, on March 8, 1940, and grew up on his family’s 160-acre cattle ranch just south of Lostine. He attended schools in Wallowa, then transferred to La Grande High School, where he graduated in 1958. He graduated from Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA, in 1962 and got his master’s in civil engineering from Columbia University. On Aug. 20, 1966, he married Carol Ann Kurtz of Westfield, NJ, and they moved to Seattle, where Jim worked for Boeing for almost 30 years, primarily on the Minuteman Missile.

In 1972, Jim and Carol moved to Edmonds, WA, where they raised their two children, Scott and Lisa. Jim loved hiking and was active in environmental organizations including the Alpine Lakes Protection Society, where he served as president and in other board positions for many years. Jim also had a passion for travel, and he and Carol took trips to dozens of places around the globe, including Turkey, Japan, the Galapagos Islands and Antarctica, after his retirement in 1995. Genealogy was another of Jim’s hobbies. He enjoyed researching family history in libraries and cemeteries, and he often attended family reunions and Chapman Family Association gatherings. Jim was also active in Toastmasters for several years and was a faithful member of Haller Lake United Methodist Church in North Seattle for over 50 years.

Jim loved Oregon's Wallowa County and visited his property in Lostine several times a year. He was a supporter of the Wallowa Band Nez Perce Trail Interpretive Center and often attended the Tamkaliks Celebration and art auction.

Jim is survived by his wife of 52 years, Carol Chapman; son Scott Chapman and wife Gerri of Moscow, ID; and daughter Lisa Hill and husband Matthew, and granddaughters Kylie and Grace, of Auburn, WA.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org.