James Harvey Chappel

Jim was born in Malden, Massachusetts, the eldest son of Barbara and James L. Chappel. An intelligent and gifted young man, Jim ambitiously took the qualifying exam after graduating from high school, and was commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force. His expertise in languages and work in military intelligence across Europe shaped his life with curiosity and opened his mind to the diversity of the world and its cultures.

A long time Professor of English at Columbus State University (CSU), fully retiring in 2011; Jim’s professional journey as an educator began as an Electronic Reconnaissance and Signal Intelligence Instructor at the Electronic Warfare Officers’ School at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi. While there from 1959-1963, he met his wife, Miss Edna Murphy, an Air Force nurse. In meeting his beloved “Murph,” Jim began considering his future and realized that teaching was his purpose. After welcoming his daughter, Linda, Jim left the Air Force and moved his young family to Florida to enter Florida State University (FSU). In 1964, he received his B.A. in German and English and an M.A. in German and Linguistics in 1966. While working to perfect his language skills at FSU, Jim and Edna welcomed their son, completing a long dream for a blessed family.

Fresh out of FSU, he joined the faculty of Columbus College, now Columbus State University in 1966 and began teaching German, first-year composition, English for international students, business and technical writing, various linguistics courses and his favorite, Latin. Sharing his passion for learning with students guided Jim every day as a professor. For many years, even after retirement, former students would seek him out around town and exclaim how they appreciated his courses and his student-centered style.

In 1970, Jim experienced a career milestone by winning the college's Distinguished Professor Award. He went on to receive the 1982 Outstanding Advisor award for his work as international student advisor and the 1991 Faculty Service Award. Our family shares stories of late-night phone calls from foreign students finding themselves in legal jams due to cultural misunderstandings. The family lore shares the surprise when Edna discovered Jim had placed a property bond on their home to access funds for help with students’ frequent legal emergencies.

Jim was also active on several committees. He served five terms on the Faculty Senate, one year as chair and four years as secretary. He was the first advisor to the student newspaper, The Saber, from 1967-1971. He chaired the freshman English committee from 1973-1997, directed the Institute for Language and Culture from 1988-1991, and served as the International Student Advisor from 1973 to 1997. In this position he saw the population of students from other countries grow from about three-dozen to more than 300.

Retiring as a full-time faculty member in 1997, Jim continued to teach at CSU, including courses in Latin, linguistics, and language and culture until May 2011. Jim fondly recalled mentoring, learning from and developing friendships with CSU students from other countries. Throughout his career, Jim remained a tireless champion for all students’ fundamental right to pursue an education regardless of their nation of origin.

The most fulfilling aspect of Jim’s retirement was becoming the extracurricular activities director for his dear grandchildren. Living in Columbus near his immediate family, his three grandsons, Tyler, Thomas, and Patrick Chappel became his world. In the classroom, Jim shaped the minds of many students, and in retirement Jim set out to do the same for his grandsons. Pop Pop attended every event; he was at every school play and cheering at every sports game. Always the professor, he provided tutoring in Latin for fun and lectured on Roman history while chauffeuring the boys to their next adventure. He was beyond proud of their accomplishments and coached them through their years into the fine men they are today. Jim was quoted in a CSU newsletter that he and his wife "have been blessed to have never been separated by a significant distance from our kids and grandkids."

Jim was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Edna, mother Barbara Louise Chappel née Irving, father James Leslie Chappel and brother David Lawrence Chappel. He is survived by his daughter Linda Chappel of Durham, North Carolina, son James Chappel of Columbus, Georgia, Tyler Chappel and wife Shannon and great-granddaughter Charlotte of San Antonio, Texas, James Thomas Chappel of Marietta, Georgia and Patrick Chappel of New York, New York.

Our family thanks the many kind friends, the team at Charles House Eldercare Day program, companion caregivers, the medical team at Duke Hospital Neurology, and the hospice team at Hock Family Pavilion who shared their compassion with Jim and our family.

Jim will be remembered as the best Dad ever, for his dry humor, bedtime singing and storybook reading, passion for bicycling, intense explanations of history and culture and most of all abounding love.

In lieu of flowers, consider a gift in memory of James H. Chappel to Columbus State University at Giving.ColumbusState.edu. Gifts may be directed to the College of Letters and Sciences by selecting the fund name or may be mailed with designations noted to: CSU Foundation, 4225 University Avenue, Columbus, GA 31907.

For those who wish to pay their respects, there will be time with the family from 2:00 to 3:00pm at Striffler-Hamby Funeral Home, Columbus, GA on Sunday, March 30 with a remembrance service to follow at 3:00 pm. Visit https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/columbus-ga/james-chappel-12308879

A committal service with honors will occur Monday, March 31, 2025 at 1:30 PM at Fort Mitchell National Cemetery, 553 AL Highway-165, Fort Mitchell, Alabama. Visit https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/JAMESHARVEYCHAPPEL/a932e7