Chappell, Dr. Harold (Chap)

Dr. Harold (Chap) Chappell, age 92, of Sun City West AZ passed away on August 22, 2025.

Dr. Chappell was born on August 5,1933 in Dodgeville, Wisconsin to Frances (Beckett) Chappell and J. Curtis Chappell, losing his father in an accident when he was 20 months old. His mother and sisters Elaine and Lois and he moved from the family farm into Dodgeville in 1935. Fortunately, his mother was elected as Iowa County Treasurer which allowed the family to exist during the closing years of the Great Depression. As a fifteen and sixteen year old, he played fast pitch softball with both the Berryman Insurance Agency and the Red Room with "old timers" such as Tommy Heibel, Harry Borne, Donald "Toad" Evans, Weiner & Milo Anderson, Kenney Stephens, Ross Vivian and pitcher, Paul Doering.

He attended Dodgeville schools and participated in Football, Basketball and Track. In 1950 he established the school long jump record of 22'5 & 1/4"- and was one of the original Charter Class members inducted into the Dodgeville Athletic Hall of Fame. After graduating high school in 1951, he attended college at Platteville for 3 semesters, before enlisting in the Air Force during the Korean war. He was the honor graduate of his class at Keesler AFB as a radio operator, then served in Okinawa and at Strategic Air Command in Omaha, Nebraska. Upon his discharge, 4 years later, he returned to Platteville, graduating in 1959 with a degree in teaching. During his senior year he and Mary Kathryn (Katsy) Brennum were married on August 16, 1958. They spent sixty-seven years together and travelled the world.

His first teaching position was in Guam in the Marianas Islands where their daughter Traci was born in 1960. After 2 years and their trip home through the Far East, Middle East and Europe with their 9 month old baby, they moved to Greeley Colorado where he received his Masters degree in School Administration from the University of Northern Colorado. He was a High School Principal in Yuma CO., then taught for 2 years for the Panama Canal Company, where their son Bret was born. He returned to Colorado where he completed his Doctorate in Educational Administration in 1966. He then served as Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Schools in Council Bluffs Iowa for 3 years before moving to Springfield, MO. as Head of the Department of Education and Professor of Educational Administration, retiring in 1998. Since that time they have lived in Sun City West, AZ.

He was preceded in death by his father in 1935, his mother in 1990, his sister Elaine, brothers-in-law, George Corning and George Slaney.

He is survived by his wife Katsy; their daughter Traci Hooker and son-in-law Dave; grandsons Ryan (Annie) and Austin (Brittany); great grandson Henry, son Bret, his sister Lois Slaney and several relatives and friends in the Dodgeville area.

A Celebration of Harold’s Life will be held at the RED ROOM in Dodgeville on Saturday, October 11, 2025 starting at 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.

Private family inurnment will be held in East Side Cemetery in Dodgeville.

His memory lives on in the hearts of all that had the privilege to know him.

Gorgen-McGinley & Ayers 

Funeral Home

www.gorgenfh.com