Phil Allen Chapman

Phil Allen Chapman, a resident of Fort Worth for all but 1-2 years of his 68 years of life passed away peacefully surrounded by loving family members at home on May 23, 2018.

He was born in Fort Worth to Sam and Elaine Chapman and has one younger brother Neal. Phil helped take care of his mother for the last three years of her life in the same home he grew up in. Phil loved telling the story of the white water rafting trip he took with his brother and dad in Colorado. He always loved airplanes and gained that love from his dad and his uncle.

Phil graduated from Poly High School and nursing school . He loved being a nurse and was one for 45 years before retiring. He was lucky enough to work in many settings. He worked with Dr. Chowdhury, a pediatrician for many years who he stayed life long friends with. He worked in a methadone clinic where he was actually interviewed and hired by his future wife Gale. He also worked at St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Worth. He retired from nursing working with patients with dementia at Garden Terrace Nursing Care Center. He loved working with all age groups and had demonstrated so much love and patience for everyone he met during his working years which continued into his retirement years.

Phil had a daughter, a son and gained 5 bonus children when he married Gale. He considered each child as his own. They have also helped raise grandchildren and have loved every minute of it.

Unique stories have been remembered this week. Michele remembers those special trips to the zoo with her dad. Sam remembers a special arrival in her hospital room when she was recovering from surgery as a child that arrived in a picnic basket with a great big red bow. Phil and Gale had to keep this surprise quiet all the way from the entrance of the hospital to her room. Out popped an adorable puppy that Phil couldn’t wait to give Sam. Another funny and touching story about how Phil cared for his children is the one about the tooth fairy. One night when Sam was sleeping, the tooth fairy literally came to visit her. Gale and Sam awoke to find a very nicely written letter to Samm that had been especially delivered to her by a trail of Toothfairy muddy footprints from the foot of the bed up to Sam’s pillow along with a $20.00 bill. Phil later told Gale, he really thought it was a $5.00 bill. Sissy remembers being taunted for years in a loving fashion about her allergy for cantaloupe which happened to be her favorite fruit until she developed an allergy to it. Phil would send notes and pictures. He always wanted one of Sissy’s pecan pies which were a big treat for him. He renamed his granddaughter Jordan, Veronica when ever he talked to Gale about her after the comic strip Archie. For the first two years of Erin’s life, he called her Izzie to Gale. He seemed to like to change names.

He loved using his cell phone which he always had with him to send his grandchildren and children funny faces, selfies, anything else he thought would make them laugh. He loved making people happy. One of the funniest selfie’s he sent was to his grand daughter Alyssa. He sent a selfie of himself wearing a beenie with Thug Life across it and put all kinds of Gale’s necklaces around his neck. He tried to stay current with the street slang and what was popular with the ages of the kids so he would know what was going on. It helped keep him young. He was also an undiscovered artist with his infamous doodles. He could sit down and draw the most amazing pictures out of just lines and circles. He had some poetry published. Phil at one point in his life went through those hippy years and even had a pony tail and red pick up so he could fit in when he lived in Austin for a year. He was an avid reader of anything and loved his NOOK. His favorite singer was Van Morrison.

Gale and Phil were a never ending love story and they grew closer and closer every day. They each brought out the best in each other. Everyone they came in contact with could tell their love was true love. He especially loved making his wife Gale happy. He would send her little notes and small gifts just because. Phil would surprise Gale sometimes out of a deep sleep. One night Gale was sound asleep and Phil woke her up to Van Morrison, and asked her to step outside just so they could dance in the rain together. Phil gave Gale the collection of all things elephant related but only the ones with the trunk going up because this was good luck. This is probably the largest and most meaningful collection for Phil and Gale. Gale loved his addiction to life and everyone remembers all of his “collections” including hats, shoes, sunglasses, knives, t-shirts, socks, computer games, and pictures. Up until the week before he passed he was still ordering things online. Who knows what will be arriving in the next few months. Most of these things he would buy were not bought for himself but for others. It made him happy to make others happy. He was always looking for just the right gift for his family and friends.

He and Gale took many trips to the Hill Country just to get away and for some special anniversaries. He especially liked Wimberly. He loved watching fireworks over the water and many years were spent going to Granbury. He and Gale enjoyed going to watch the grand children in activities and even when it became hard for Phil to walk, he made it to the stock show to watch the grandkids with their cows. He loved watching the grandbabies and he loved playing with and taking care of the grandpuppies. Phil also loved to watch different shows on TV with his children and grandchildren. Gale was especially happy when Phil became closer to God in the last couple years of life.

Phil is remembered by his family who all recall his great sense of humor, his quick wit and in general his love of life which he fought to live every minute of up until his very last breath. Gale helped him fight through all the hardships he has endured the last couple of years. In the past few years, as Phil became sicker with CHF and especially after he broke his hip in Mexico, he still kept his sense of humor, his love of his hobbies, collecting, purchasing gifts, playing computer games especially Angry Birds, loving and caring for Gale with his whole heart. He willed himself to live his way through the help and love of Gale and his faith in God. He will be truly missed by so many.

He is survived by wife Gale Chapman, daughter Michele Davis, son Kane Chapman, bonus children Loretta Vining, William Vining, Ray Vining, Justin Vining and Samantha Green. Grandchildren Ty Chapman Davis and Erin Davis, bonus grandchildren RJ and Jordan Roberts, Alyssa and Tyler Vining and Kenzie, Nate and Brenden Vining. Brother and sister-in-law Neal and Vickie Chapman and nieces Nicole Stell and Angela Chapman. He was predeceased by: Sam and Elaine Chapman.