Virginia Chapman

March 15, 1929 - August 1, 2020

Virginia Chapman, age 91, passed away peacefully in her home in Bellingham on Saturday, August 1, 2020, with loved ones by her side. She was born in Kayville, Saskatchewan, Canada on March 15, 1929 to Joseph (Iosif) and Rose (Zurita) Gieni (Diezen). She married Raymond B. Chapman on December 27, 1952. Virginia, a mother of four, grew up working on her family’s farm in Saskatchewan, alongside her twelve siblings. Mom loved to read, and fondly remembered how her father would bring in the horses (normally one of her chores) in order to give her extra time to spend with her books. Her love of books and reading lasted her entire life; she also read to her children, and she volunteered at a local school to help young people learn to read. Mom had a passion, and a calling, when it came to cooking. With classical music playing on her radio all afternoon, she baked delectable pies; her apple pie was a pure art form that will never be replicated. With her Eastern European heritage, cabbage rolls were a family favorite, but mom also embraced the seafood bounty of the region, and fish, along with produce from Joe’s Garden, were often on her menu. Along with her interests in nutrition, mom was likewise very serious about exercise; she stayed highly active throughout her lifetime. She didn’t have a lazy bone in her body and she made sure everyone else followed suit. Her children have vivid memories of exploring beaches with her, swimming in frigid waters and hiking along the varied coastlines. Mom was smart, charismatic, and charming; she was always ready and willing to engage in debate and discussion. With her Canadian, Romanian, and American accents all rolled into one, she had a beautiful voice to go with her lovely visage, and with her larger-than-life personality, she was dearly loved, and will be sorely missed, by her family and friends. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 67 years, Raymond, on January 14, 2020. Virginia is survived by her children, Michelle Chapman, Renee Dralle (Ken), Jeanie Chapman (Steven), and Edwin Chapman (Stefanie), grandsons Jacob Dralle (Kayley) and Daniel Dralle (Adrienne) and their daughter Nyah, and many loving relatives and friends. There will be a private family service at a later date. You may share memories with the family at www.westfordfuneralhome.com.