Harry Wilson Chapman

Harry Wilson Chapman, 84, of the Enola Community died Friday, September 6, 2013. Born in Burke County, NC on June 22, 1929, he was the son of the late Richard "R.C." Chapman and Rhoney Ellen Smith Chapman. Harry was a lifetime member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and on numerous committees, often as chairman.

He was a charter member and served as chairman of both the Burke County Farm Bureau and Enola Volunteer Fire Department. He was an active member of the NC Cattleman’s Association. A sawmill operator for 40 years, he owned Chapman Lumber Company.Harry loved to talk of his experiences logging with draft horses, steam engines, and diesel engines. He recalled many stories of life at sawmill camps in his beloved South Mountains and as far away as Green River in Rutherford and Henderson Counties. Harry was a real sawmill man.Mr. Chapman was also a farmer throughout his life, operated commercial chicken farms and raising some mighty fat and slick cattle. He was the personification of hard work; no golf or fishing for him. Put himon his trusty Ford tractor with a bushog, that was a happy man.

Six feet, eight inches tall, skinny as a rail, and with a million dollar smile, you could not miss "Slim" when he walked into a room.Harry served as an example of quiet leadership, honesty, mental and physical strength, tenacity, humility, and topped it off with his signature sharp and witty, yet subtle, humor. Wils Chapman walked the walk and talked the talk.He was blessed and grateful to have so many true friends and good neighbors in the Enola Community and on Watershed road.Harry is survived by his wife, Nina Quteen Denton Chapman; sons, Bryan Chapman and his wife, Pam, and Paul Chapman, both of Morganton; grandchildren, Hamen Wilson Chapman, Issac Davis Chapman, Millie Ellen Lacy, and Laura Francis Chapman; a brother, Mrs. and Mrs. Ned Chapman of Raleigh, NC; and a number of nieces and nephews.In addition to his parents, Harry was preceded in death by eight siblings, Earl Chapman, Bea Steiner, Hazel Chapman, Mary Etta Chapman, Helen Chapman, Bill Chapman, Richard Chapman, Jr., and Ray Chapman.The memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, September 8, 2013 at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. Larry Cline officiating. The family will receive friends at the church following the service.Memorial contributions may be made to Enola Fire Department, 2559 Enola Road, Morganton, NC 28655.Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.The Chapman family would like to express our immense gratitude to the staff and residents at Carolina Rehab in Icard. They adopted Harry as one of their own, truly becoming like an extended family to all of us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts."You will be missed Paw Paw Wils. We will never see the likes of you again."