Cmdr. John Chapman OBE - St Michael & All Angels - Taddington, Derbyshire - Dedicated Benches on Waymarking.com

Wooden memorial bench to Commander John Chapman OBR RN(Rtd) in St Michael & All Angels' churchyard, Taddington.

A brass plaque on the bench reads -
COMMANDER JOHN CHAPMAN OBE RN (RTD)
1931 - 2006
This seat was installed by the Villagers
of Taddington and Priestcliffe to
commemorate the life and work of John.
No words can express the High Esteem
in which he was held. He is missed.

From his obituary -
"John was born into a farming family in Barlaston, Staffordshire and later in High Peak of Derbyshire in 1931. After school at the local Grammar he was awarded a Scholarship to the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth. He went on to Manadan Engineering College and after commissioning he spent his entire working life in the Royal Navy. He travelled the world and his last appointment was spent in the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall. He retired as a full Commander and was awarded the O.B.E. and made a Freeman of the City of London.

John came into mountaineering after retirement and joined ABMSAC spending many holidays with the Association at events in the UK and the Alps on a variety of meets.

His interests were many and varied; he was a man of enormous talents: model engineering, painting, clock making and music. He was an accomplished musician participating in choral work and played the organ each Sunday at the local churches in the Taddington diocese. He gave many hours to organizing the Well Dressing Fetes and ran the Retired Villagers Club, arranged visits, talks and weekly meetings in the Village Hall at Taddington. In addition to the social life of the village he became a School Governor and District Councillor and was respected as wise council in these endeavours.

In 1994 he discovered the magic of the Himalayas and its people and visited Nepal on many occasions. He organised and led several trekking expeditions to Nepal and befriended a Nepalese as a son who now has a family. He funded several Nepalese charity functions including a 'Foot Doctor' for village work, apprentice monks and community schools.

He will be remembered by all those whose life he touched, enriched and helped.

John never married but had a wide circle of friends and a rich family life with his two sisters and brother and their families who all reside in the local area."

SOURCE - (visit link)

Where is this bench located?: beside path leading to church Who is this bench honoring?: Cmdr. John Chapman OBE

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