Mark Chapman

Mark A. Chapman, 71, died Friday, April 18, 2014 at his home in Cat Spring, Texas. Mr. Chapman was born on January 18, 1943 in Clay Center, Kansas, the son of Leo and Irene (McCully) Chapman. He grew up near Broughton, a small town 30 miles northwest of Manhattan, home of Kansas State University (KSU) where Mark earned bachelor’s degrees in 1965 in history and political science. As a student, he was involved in Army ROTC, Acacia fraternity, and athletics, including football and track. After earning a Doctor of Jurisprudence at the University of Texas , Mark spent two years as a U.S. Army Signal Core officer stationed in Thailand. Upon discharge, he began real estate investing in Houston, Texas. After the real estate market crashed, he entered the depressed oil and gas business with extensive use of credit cards. Eventually his oil and gas business prospered, and he began to purchase farmland in Kansas and Nebraska and was a savvy investor. In the past decade he has been painting, contributing numerous works to KSU. Recently he published two books of poetry: “An Artist Writes” and “Like My First Book Only Better.” Mark was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Cat Spring, TX, and the KSU Foundation President’s Club where he has been a donor to Kansas State for more than 25 years. His gifts have established the Chapman Center for Rural Studies in History, an art gallery in Willard Hall, and the Chapman Scholars program in the College of Arts & Sciences. In addition to gifts to the Athletic Department (including the Coaches Workroom in the new Basketball Training Facility) and the Chapman-Mellenthin Plaza at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Mark supported two full-ride Presidential Scholarships. Most recently, he provided funds for the School of Music, Theatre and Dance to become an All-Steinway School. And one of his favorite projects was the transformation of the windows in the Great Room at K-State Libraries. He is a 2012 Alumni Fellow at KSU. Further, the Mark A Chapman Foundation created by Mark independently funds approximately 100 scholarships annually in Kansas and Texas. Mark frequently returned to Clay Center, Kansas to visit his parents, friends and KSU. He held the Clay County High School shot put record for 47 years (1961-2008). In 2009 he was inducted into the Clay County High School’s HALL OF FAME for his generosity to Clay County and Kansas State. He has been a major contributor to the Clay County Medical Center, including funding the Mark A Chapman Wellness Center. He has given scholarships to many Clay County High School graduates, to the Clay County Museum and to the Birger Sandzen Memorial Foundation. Mark and his wife Cheryl Mellenthin made their home in Cat Spring, TX. Mark is preceded in death by his mother, Irene Chapman. Survivors include Mark’s wife, Cheryl Mellenthin, Cat Spring ,TX; his father, Leo Chapman, Clay Center, KS; his son, Carter Chapman, TX; his brother, Christopher Chapman, and partner Edee Medley, Richland ,WA; his sister, Julie and husband Dennis Rice, Winfield, KS; his mother-in-law, Deloris Mellenthin, Beaver Dam, WI; his brother-in-law, James and wife Mary, Ripon, WI; his sister-in-law, Barbara and husband Dale Walker, Beaver Dam, WI; his nieces: Amy (Frank) Burns, children Otto & Hanna, Washington State; Lexi Giblin and daughter Ila, Washington State; Erin Mellenthin, Baltimore, MD; Michelle Mellenthin, Fort Collins, CO; Bonnie Walker and Billie Jean Walker, Beaver Dam, WI; his nephews, Carl (Louise) Chapman of Iowa; Jesse (Jeri) Chapman, sons Elliot and Kyle, New York State; Bruce (Shelly)Walker, sons Bryce and Blayze, Beaver Dam, WI. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 26 at 10:00 A.M. at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Clay Center. Visitation will be on April 25 from 6 to 8 P.M. at Neill-Schwenson-Rook Funeral Home, Clay Center, KS. Burial will be at the Broughton Cemetery, Clay County, Kansas. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to PUPS (Prevent Unwanted Pets), 1884 Bostik Road, Cat Spring, TX; ARTS (Arts for Rural Texas), P.O. Box 33, Fayetteville, TX 78940; the Sealy YMCA, 1000 Main St., Sealy, TX 77474; or the charity of your choice.