Linda O'Neil Chapman

Linda Rae O’Neil Chapman, born March 16, 1941, in Lamesa, Texas, was the first born of three girls to the late Velma Lois Matthews & Truman Leigh O’Neil. She passed into Heaven October 1st, 2021 after an 18 month journey with appendiceal cancer.

Linda was also a Matthews and her legacy is amazing as two Lamesa families merged from her parent’s union. The Matthews’ family have had (as well as the O’Neil’s) 50 plus years of family reunions with the wonderful tapestry of O’Neil threads woven in. Linda’s sisters, Donna O’Neil Nunley with her husband, Dewey from Lago Vista, TX; Karen O’Neil Brazier from Leander, TX survive Linda.

Linda married her high school sweetheart in February of 1959, William Edward Chapman, the 4th of five sons of the late James Vinson & Alice Lenna Hardwick Chapman. Bill & Linda moved to Austin, TX where they raised their family before moving to Dripping Springs, TX in 1998. The Chapman family had the same legacy of family gatherings, which always included the patriarchs singing around the piano. The reunions continued on with the Lenna and Vinson family for 33 years, now held at the family’s C5 ranch in Holt, TX.

Truman, Linda’s father, bravely became the family patriarch at 16 years of age. His occupation on Linda’s birth certificate is “Trader”. He traded horses, cattle & farmed cotton and eventually became the Mesa Mack truck dealer in Lamesa, and then Midland, TX. His motivation, with his wife Lois, was to provide for his immediate & extended family always! Linda took this mantle upon herself, and carried it well and seriously to the very end, often quietly & lovingly investing in the dreams and families of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In high school, she was involved in many clubs and loved being the photo editor for the yearbook! Throughout her life, her love for traveling, sewing, decorating (& redecorating), cooking, bridge playing & reading books had no limits!

She started “Daisy Field Designs” in the early 80’s that sold reversible appliqué children’s clothes at Dallas Apparel Mart; then with her sisters, she opened “Bear Necessities” a children’s store in Oak Hill, TX. Her true passion has always been sewing/quilting, talents inherited from her mother, for the children in the family, especially the girls…sorry boys!

She loved her family & friends with all her being even if she kept her feelings quiet. Her children, Kyle Leigh & wife Martha; Shelley Renee Davis; Piper Allyson Labaj & husband Kanton all loved & cherished her. Her nine grandchildren were spoiled & very loved, as you can imagine. Brett, Brittany, Will, Brad, Brian, Sara, Lacey, Truman, Jax & their spouses all loved so well by their “MeeMee”. Then came the greats! Kyler, Caroline, Sawyer, Kennedy, Baylor, Then came the greats! Kyler, Caroline, Sawyer, Kennedy, Baylor, Claire, Bailey, James, Connor, Ethan, Ella & Sterling plus two more to come in November/January!! (Meemee loved you all & missed your sweet hugs & faces so much!).

Linda is survived by so many sweet & loving cousins, brother-in-laws & sister-in-laws; nieces & nephews!! Your support & love is surely noted by our Lord and savior but especially by us. Thank you so much to all of Linda’s family! We also thank Eloise, Jhen & Liz for the tender care to Linda and family these past months.

Linda, adored flowers and foliage, but please feel free to support the charity of your choice in her name as she felt more blessed than many. She wanted the cold to be warmed, and would often order blankets to give out to those living outdoors in cold weather. She would love the idea of all of us giving to people in need in her honor.

With love and gratitude,

the Bill & Linda Chapman family