Gerald E. Chapman, D.V.M. 1920-2008

FISCHER, CHAPMAN, WESTERMEYER, RESSLER, GANDOMCAR, BLUMBERG, CRAWFORD, TAYLOR, MOORE, PINS, FULTON

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 4/20/2008 at 09:45:21

Gerald E. Chapman, D.V.M.

FARLEY, Iowa -- Gerald E. Chapman, D.V.M., 87, of 106 Third Ave. SW, Farley, was placed in God's loving arms on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 1, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Farley, with the Rev. Dennis Cain officiating. Burial will be in St. Francis Cemetery, Dyersville, with a flag presentation by the Farley American Legion Post 656. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 29, at Reiff Funeral Home, Farley, where there will be a wake service at 4 p.m., and the Farley American Legion will meet at 7 p.m. Friends also may call after 10 a.m. Saturday, March 1, at the funeral home.

He was born on Sept. 26, 1920, in Peosta, son of Edward and Catherine (Fischer) Chapman. Gerald was one of five children, including Mary Margaret Chapman, John Chapman, Mary Ressler and Joe Chapman, who continues to live on the homestead in Peosta.

He received his education in the rural Peosta schools, proud of the accomplishment that he read every book in the school library, including all the encyclopedias. He accompanied the choir on the organ at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church every Sunday during his high school years.

In 1944, he graduated with honors as a doctor of veterinary medicine from Iowa State University in Ames. During his college years, he served as a captain in the Army.

Thus began his long career of 50 years of service to three generations of farm families and their animals in the Farley area. "Doc" established his practice in the small building in front of Memorial Hall in downtown Farley. His partnership and lifelong friendships with Earl Goerdt, D.V.M., and Dewayne Rahe, D.V.M., allowed the practice to grow and become Tri-Vets Associates Inc. Offices in Dyersville and Holy Cross were opened, and numerous veterinarians have joined the firm. A clinic and drive-in large animal facility was built north of Farley in 1984 and became one of the largest farm animal practices in the state. He retired in 1993 at the age of 73 saying, "It was a privilege to practice in this part of the country. I think we are living in one of the greatest areas in the world."

Gerald married his loving wife, Carmen Jewel Westermeyer, on Oct. 25, 1947, at the Basilica of St. Francis Xavier in Dyersville. This 60-year commitment to one another produced a family of eight daughters and two sons. Gerald was a loving husband, prideful father and terrific grandfather.

Although a man of few words, he had a great memory for jokes, was a skilled golfer, bowler, fisherman and photographer. Gerald retained his love of the written word throughout his entire life.

For your impressive professional accomplishments, your fierce love for your large family, and for just being you, we will miss you terribly. Your life was a blessing on everyone and everything.

Some of those who mourn his loss and rejoice in his memory are his wife, Carmen; his daughters, Sheila Chapman, Chris (John) Gandomcar, Gail (Mark) Blumberg, Denise (David) Crawford, Carla (John) Taylor, Deborah (John) Moore, Julie (Jerald) Pins and Lisa (Richard) Fulton; his sons, Jeff (Theresa) Chapman and John (Lorna) Chapman; 24 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Gerald was welcomed to heaven by his parents, a brother, a sister and his granddaughter, Ashley Pins.

Copyright (c) Woodward Communications, Inc. 2008, All Rights Reserved. Dubuque Telegraph Herald, Thursday, February 28, 2008