Marjorie Ruth Riggs Chapman, age 91, died on March 9, 2019 at Adams Place in Murfreesboro. She was born to the late William Kelly Riggs and Lillian Jarratt Riggs on February 8, 1928. She grew up in the Salem Community in the heart of a large, loving family with five siblings and her beloved aunts, uncles, and cousins. She was a member of Salem Methodist Church.
Marjorie attended MTSU Campus School and Murfreesboro Central High School, where she was a standout basketball player. She went on to play basketball at MTSU. After college, she worked at WGNS and the Murfreesboro Electric Department, where she was known for her sweet, professional demeanor and her beautiful smile. She met Lieutenant Roy M. Chapman when he was stationed at Sewart Air Force Base in Smyrna, and they married on September 12, 1944. As an Air Force wife, she made every house a home and helped her family transition from base to base. Her home was always a gathering place for family and friends, where everyone felt welcome. She was a positive, supportive wife, mother, and grandmother, always seeing the best in every situation and encouraging everyone with a kind word and a smile. She will be greatly missed.
Marjorie was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Colonel Roy McKinley Chapman; granddaughter Brittney Ann Fuson; sisters Kitty (Bill) Burns and Sue Gill (Jimmy) Galloway, her brothers Johnny Riggs and Billy (Billye) Riggs; and her brothers-in-law Blake (Billie), Bernard, Gene, and John Chapman.
She is survived by daughters Cindy (Mike) Cook of Gallatin and Patty Fuson of Murfreesboro; grandchildren Jason and Brian Cook of Gallatin, Kristin (Ben) Hall of Hendersonville, Blake and Paige Fuson of Nashville; great-grandson Grady Hall; brother Richard (Ruby) Riggs of Franklin; sisters-in-law Cindy (John) Chapman of Alcoa and Alice (Gene) Chapman of Erwin; and nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be sent to Salem United Methodist Church, 4072 Old Salem Road, Rockvale, TN 37153
Visitation will be held at Woodfin Memorial Chapel on Tuesday from 11:00AM to 1:00PM, followed by a funeral at 1:00PM and burial at Evergreen Cemetery. Dr. Jim Clardy will officiate. Grandsons and friends will serve as pallbearers. www.woodfinchapel.com
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