CHATMAN, Benjamin Frank 1926-2009

CHATMAN, HEFTY

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 7/6/2009 at 12:13:40

OSAGE, IOWA - Benjamin Frank Chatman, age 82, a lifelong resident of Osage, passed away on Friday (July 3, 2009) at the Stacyville Community Nursing Home.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 8, 2009, at the United Church of Christ in Osage, with Pastor Ruth Moerdyk officiating. Burial will be at the Osage Cemetery. Visitation is from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home in Osage.

Ben was born in Osage, on Aug. 22, 1926, the son of Frank and Nellie Chatman. He graduated from Osage High School in 1944, served in the Navy and then attended Cornell College. Upon returning to Osage, he worked in his father's grocery store on Main Street in Osage until his marriage to Alma Hefty. Ben's other occupations included working in other food related industries, at Winnebago Industries, and for the Osage Community Schools.

Ben was a member of the Osage Masonic Lodge 102 A.F. & A.M., Osage American Legion Post 278, and the United Church of Christ. He was an avid bowler and enjoyed spending time with his peers, whether at the bowling alley, at the coffee shops or going to Osage Green Devil football games every Friday night for nearly sixty years.

Ben loved to travel with his wife and logged many miles visiting their siblings, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Music was a big part of Ben's life as he liked to sing and was in the church choir for many years.

Ben is survived by his wife of 56 years, Alma Chatman; his children, Silvia (Fred) Thull of Las Vegas, Nevada, and their children, Sara Martinie, and her children, Serenity, Xavier, Sophia and Zoe; Stephanie (Paul) Rogers and their children, Sadye, Paul and Aurora; Dianna Toscano of Palm Harbor, Fla., and her children, Darin, Tara and Melissa; Ben (Doreen) Chatman of Polk City, and their children, Kirsten, Matthew and Andrew; Jennifer (Mark) Magnuson of Isanti, Minn., and their children, Tyler, Elissa and Alexander.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Alfred; a son, James Chatman; and a granddaughter Crystal Tuggle.

Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home, Osage, 641-732-3706.

[Published in the Globe Gazette online 7/6/2009]