George Chapman

When George "Chappie" Chapman died, January 23, 2016, at his home in North Carolina, the angling world lost a considerable treasure. A familiar figure on the fly tying circuit, George would dispense good cheer and enthusiasm as he tied his signature poppers and other saltwater specialties. Well into his nineties, George refused to allow physical challenges to spoil a good day on the water.

A fisherman since childhood, George also enjoyed a career which began before World War II, serving in the Pacific Theater in Guadalcanal. As the photographer attached to an air crew, he saved thousands of American lives by documenting the location and size of a large placement of the Japanese fleet. For this "strike and flight" mission he was awarded the Navy Air Medal for meritorious achievement while participating in an aerial flight. Later in the war, he was assigned to the USS WASP and survived the sinking in Guadalcanal in September of 1942. He also served as photographer on the North Atlantic air ferry route when American planes were shipped to England, and when English planes were shipped to Malta. In 1950, he was sent to Korea where again his photographs were important in planning troop movements during the assault on Chosin Resevoir.

In 1960, he was transferred to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba where he was assistant Officer in Charge of Leeward Point Naval Air Station which is across the bay from the main base. While stationed there, he rounded up crew of volunteers and built a beach on Leeward Point which still bears his name.

When the Missile Crisis began, he was in charge of the Leeward Point evacuation and the organization of incoming Marine units since the Officer in Charge had returned to the U.S. His wife and daughter were among the evacuees on the first plane leaving the island and heading for the U.S.

His final war experience was as an executive officer in film during the Vietnam War. Although he was stationed at the Pentagon, he was responsible for supervising the fielding of photographic units.

Early in his career in addition to reconnaissance photos, he was well-known as a portrait photographer and was the requested photographer among the admiralty. He took the last photograph of John McCain's grandfather. After becoming a filmmaker for the Navy, his film, "Sounds of the Sea", won an Honorable Mention at the Venice Film Festival Awards.

He retired as the liaison between the U.S. Navy and Hollywood representing the Navy regarding film release to the movie industry and as a consultant on many films requiring Naval review.

After his thirty year career in the Navy, George and his wife Mary settled into Woodland Hills, CA where they became a fixture in the local fly fishing scene rarely missing a show, a Club meeting or any opportunity to be of service especially to newcomers to the sport. Their signature old school charm and elegance cast them as parental role models to the next generation. No environmental or educational challenge was too big for George who knew only one way to get things done - full speed ahead into the thick of it. It could be cleaning up Piru Creek, restoring the self-esteem of prisoners newly released from jail or creating a new fly pattern, George's energy was infectious and irresistible. Angler and celebrity caster Lefty Kreh said, "Chappie was a great friend, not just to me but to all fly fishermen."

For over twenty years he and Mary played host to the celebrity anglers who spoke on the local Club circuit. No visit was complete without a guided tour of George's 2,000 book angling library which became the anchor collection at the National Sporting Library and Museum. It was impossible to name an edition that he had not already acquired, usually signed and hot off the press or first editions.. His daughter Catherine remembers
when, "My mother and brother Thomas became the best book finders - in the days before Amazon or Google." Not only a book collector, George was an avid reader with a profound knowledge of the history and relevance of fly fishing - his belief that it was an activity that fostered the better side of the human spirit was at the heart of all he did. His joy was to share that knowledge as freely as possible - George would never be the one to end a fishing discussion. Those lucky enough to have shared a boat or a beat with Chappie soon realized that, while the catching was important, it was only a starting point. Equally at home casting tiny dries on Hot Creek to hurling his monster poppers to schooling dorado in Baja, Chappie was always sure there was a better way to fool the
species he loved so much.

Tributes have poured in from his many friends on the professional fly fishing circuit. Renowned fly tier Dave Hughes said, "Like everybody else, I loved Chappie, and like everybody else, I had good reasons: he was a great and lovable character." East Coaster Joe Humphreys added, "He wasn't just a great fly tier and fisherman, but a very worldly guy. I will miss my great friend."

He will be especially missed by Ben Furimsky who invited to Chappie to tie at his shows, "Chappie was one of the nicest and most willing to teach fly tiers we have had at the Fly Fishing Show. He was always excited and passionate about the sport of fly fishing and always loved to share his enthusiasm as well as continue to learn himself. He was a family member to all of us."

Old friend and fellow angler Gary Borger wrote this haiku in commemoration of George.

Set among his books
A man's life extraordinaire
My friend, loved by all

A private graveside service was held at Blue Ridge Gardens of Memory, Brevard, NC.

Cdr. George T. Chapman, Jr., USN Ret. was preceded in death by Mary Reynolds Chapman, his wife of 70 years. He is survived by his son, Thomas Chapman (Cherry), his daughter Catherine Chapman, his grandchildren Joshua Chapman (Giuliana), Sara Chapman Freeman (Josh), Maya Chapman Crite (TJ), Seth Chapman (Kiara), and Brittany Chapman. He also leaves ten great-grandchildren who knew him and loved him well.