Gladys Lingafelt Chapman

Gladys Lingafelt Chapman, 94, of Morganton entered eternal rest to be with the Lord on Saturday, April 22, 2023.

Born in Burke County, NC on March 2, 1929, she was the daughter of the late Thomas Oscar Lingafelt and Ruth Chester Lingafelt Curtis.

She married her husband of 43 years, the late James Cox Chapman, on October 9, 1948. Gladys lived all but six months of her life in Burke County. The exception was when the family moved to Fort Thompson, SD and lived on the Crow Creek Indian Reservation. During this time Gladys’ husband found employment building a damn on the Missouri River. The time there was filled with meeting new friends from all over the United States, hot, dry winds, searching for agates on the banks of the Missouri River, and a few tornado scares. It was a time of adventure for the entire family and the highlights included vacationing in the Black Hills and visiting Mt. Rushmore and the Badlands.

Gladys also enjoyed visiting Alaska for 2+ weeks to attend the wedding of her great-niece. She took day trips to glaciers and saw many wild animals. She also toured her brother’s place of work, the BP Oil Refinery in Prudhoe Bay, inside the Arctic Circle.

Gladys was a loving, giving, and caring person and family was very important to her. She was always available with a compassionate, listening ear and a supporting heart to many. She was an excellent cook and well known for her famous pound cakes. Gladys was also an avid reader and a competitive rummy player with her immediate family. She also enjoyed sewing and gardening. Mrs. Chapman was a member of Gibbs Chapel Wesleyan Church and retired heavily on her faith to sustain her through difficult times. Gladys worked in textiles for many years.

Mrs. Chapman is survived by her children, David Chapman, Jeffrey Chapman (Joy), and Beverly Chapman; grandchildren, Raina Brim, Amelia Smith, Lauren Beane, Christy Truitt, T.J. Knaga, Kimberly Mosley, Amber Peterson, and Audrey Thomas; great-grandchildren, Isabella, Riley, Trey, Camille, Andersen, Lila, Bryleigh, Micah, Amelia, Ben, Anna, Jack, Lucy, Magdalene, Braylon, William, and Riggs; sisters, Ruby Wood and Pat Huntley (Larry); brothers, Ralph, Bob, Clyde, Ray, and Charles Curtis; daughters-in-law, Sue Chapman and Kathy Shook; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents and husband, Gladys was preceded in death by her infant daughter, Shelia Diane Chapman; brothers, Rev. Darwin Lingafelt, Thomas Lingafelt, Buford “Buck” Curtis, Dean Curtis, Carl, Luther, Cloyd, Lloyd, Howard, and Rev. Earnest Curtis; sisters, Mae Ferguson, Rowena Purell, and Ruth Carswell; and sister-in-law, Betty Lingafelt.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m., Friday, April 28, 2023 at Sossoman Funeral Home. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, April 29, 2023 in the Colonial Chapel of the funeral home with Rev. Cris Uren officiating. Burial will follow in Forest Hill Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Amorem Hospice or Gibbs Chapel Wesleyan Church.

Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.