Christine G. Chapman of Decatur, Alabama
February 13, 1925 – May 4, 2019
On February 13, 1925, R.A. Gann and Annie Gann were blessed by the birth of their first child, Christine. On May the 4, 2019 our Heavenly Father called Chris(as everyone called her) home.
Her funeral services will be held at Ridout’s Brown-Service Funeral Home today at 3 P. M. with Alan Watkins officiating. Visitation will be one hour and a half(1:30) prior to the service. Burial will follow in Roselawn Cemetery.
She was born February 13, 1925 in a small dusty town in Lawrence County, called Mount Hope. Her Parents were R. A. Gann and Annie Gann, both hard working farmers. The house that she was born in no longer stands but the land that grew cotton in her time is still farm land. Growing up in that time was hard, people were poor but they didn’t know it because people that lived around them were in the same shape. She use to tell stories of picking cotton and being so tired that she fell asleep in floor waiting for Miss Annie, as she was called, to fix supper.
While the family lived in Mount Hope there was another addition to the family, Racine, Chris’ younger sister. The family moved from Mount Hope to Franklin County around New Berg Mountain. Chris changed schools and she started attending Phil Cambell, from which she graduated from. Before she moved off to be on her own there were two other children born in the family, Wallace and Shirley. Chris left Franklin County and moved to Decatur to be a telephone operator and was sent to Atlanta to a train and then came back to Decatur to continue working as a telephone operator. Shortly after World War II was over, she met the love of her life, Billy M. Chapman. They got married and began building their family. Before too long they had two children, Doug and Don.
Chris worked many years in the banking industry and then in February of 1972 she and her husband opened Norge Villa Laundry. Chris and Billy were owners and operators of the Laundry until their retirement in June of 2013 an astounding 41 years after the opening of the Laundry.
Chris was preceding in death by her husband, Billy M. Chapman, her parents R. A.Gann and Annie Gann, her sister, Racine O’Daniel, her brother, Wallace Gann, and her step great-grandson, Walter Smith.
Chris is survived by her two sons, Douglas M. Chapman and Donald A. Chapman(Barbara); two grandsons, Bryan Chapman(Julie) and Travis Chapman(Leslye); four great-grandchildren, Garrett Chapman, Jack Chapman, Riley Chapman, and Sophia Chapman; one step great-granddaughter , Madelyn Grey; numerous nieces and nephews; family friend Judy Burns. A special thanks to Chris’ loyal care givers, Ann Borden, Shirley Morgan and Tammi Terry.
Pallbearers will be Bryan Chapman, Travis Chapman, Danny O’Daniel, Phillip Morgan, Jeff Morgan and Mike Gann.
