A private graveside Celebration of Life service for Robert Henry Chappell, Sr., 82, of Champaign, formerly of Madison County, Illinois, will be held at Butler National Cemetery, Springfield.

The Rev. Elaine Olson, pastor of St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, Champaign, will officiate. Military rites will be accorded.

Heath and Vaughn Funeral Home, 201 N. Elm, Champaign, is assisting the family with service arrangements.

Mr. Chappell passed away at 6:15 p.m., Thursday, June 17, 2010, at Heartland Health Care Center, Champaign.

He was born January 21, 1928, in Alton, Illinois, a son of Henry Lee and Agnes Katharine (Niederkorn) Chappell. He married Linda Haynes on December 8, 1962, in Evansville, Indiana. She survives.

Also surviving are a son, Robert Henry Chappell, Jr., of Champaign; one brother, Edward Chappell, of Hearst, Texas, and one sister, Norma Chappell Dale, of Bethalto, Illinois.

A graduate of Shurtleff College, Alton, Mr. Chappell was awarded a degree in Business Administration. He served in the Army during World War II with the Occupation Forces and received an honorable discharge in June, 1946.

He served as President and CEO of the First Federal Savings Bank in East Alton from 1949 to 1989. He was Chief Deputy Treasurer of Madison County in Edwardsville from 1990 to 1998, and retired in 2008 as Senior Employment Coordinator for the Area Agency on Aging of Southwest Illinois in Belleville.

Mr. Chappell was a former president of Easter Seals in Alton, and was a member of the Kiwanis Club, a member of Rotary of East Alton, where he was selected Man of the Year in the 1960s, and a member of the Jaycees. He served as a school board member of Metro East Lutheran High School in Edwardsville. He was inducted into the Illinois Senior Hall of Fame in Springfield in 2005. He was a member of St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Champaign.

In the 1970s he was a Visiting Adjunct Professor in Business Administration at Lewis and Clark Community College, Godfrey, Illinois.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 909 S. Wright St., Champaign, IL 61820.

Condolences to the Chappell family may be offered online at www.HeathandVaughn.com.

Condolences

To Linda and Family,

Although we did not know Bob well, we are very sorry to hear about your loss. We miss seeing you at the Friends’ meetings.

Dianne Winney (Friends of Lovejoy Library)

Dear Linda and Robby,

Please accept our sincere sympathy in the loss of your husband and dad. At times like this we can be so thankful that our loved one knows Jesus and is now safe with Him. Fred and I have our tomb stone in place. On the back we have Philippians 3:8a. How very true it rings for all of us and is such a comfort. God bless you both.

Sincerely,
Fred and MaryLou Barringer
(Juleigh Barringer Miller's parents)

My condolence to the Robert Chappel family on the loss of Robert.

Bob and I became great friends working through the Older Workers Program. He was cheerful and fun to be with when we had our state meetings. He called me often and the last time he explained the situation and asked me to pray for him which I did.

Please accept my condolence to Robert’s family.

May God be with you all and may Robert rest in peace.

Stan Jensen
Prophetstown, Illinois

I wanted to express my condolences to the family of Robert Chappell.

I worked with Bob on the Senior Community Service Employment Program. I work for the State of Illinois, and we could always count on Bob to exceed in all expectations with this federal grant. I remember the year that several of us went to a national meeting in Philadelphia. Bob also went on this trip. I always enjoyed working with Bob.

Betsy Creamer
Illinois Department on Aging
Bureau of Community Operations
421 East Capitol Avenue, #100
Springfield, Illinois 62701-1789

May the God of all Comfort and Peace be with you in this time knowing that many thoughts and prayers are with you sharing in your grief.

Anita Garcia Acevedo
Mahomet, Illinois

Rob & Linda,

I send my condolences. Your father and husband was a co-worker of mine here at the Area Agency for many years and I referred to him as Mr. B.

Rob your father was such a gentleman’s/gentleman and Linda your care of him spoke volumes as he was always dressed to the hilt.

He always performed his position with great care of others.

I have missed him and will continue too since he has left the Agency.

My prayers are with you both.

Lana Schmulbach

Dear Rob and Linda,

I was so sorry to have heard about the loss of your father and husband. I have always felt so blessed to have known you all these many years and especially blessed to have crossed paths again so many times the last two years. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. God bless you both.

Juleigh Barringer Miller