FARMINGTON – William (Bill) Chapman, 77, a longtime resident of Embden, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 17, with his family at his side, after a long illness.

Bill was born on Dec. 15, 1930, in Dresden, as the oldest son of a family of 13 brothers and sisters born to Thelma and Norris Chapman. He grew up in the nearby town of Richmond. As a child of the Depression, his formal education was interrupted after junior high, when he entered the work force to help support their ever-enlarging family; but he never lost his hunger for knowledge.

He married his wife, the former Beverly Bilodeau of Bingham in 1951. After a brief stint in the Army, they settled down to raise their family on a small farm in Embden.

After a hard day in the hay fields, or working for Lucas Tree Co., he could always be found kicked back in his favorite recliner watching the news, enjoying a nature or history show, and even reading the set of encyclopedias he had supposedly bought for his daughters.

They hold fond memories of that; as well as riding on his boots to celebrate his coming home from work, “helping” him with the farm chores, and sitting at his feet while watching and laughing at Ed Sullivan, Red Skelton, or Jackie Gleason. There was always a lot of laughter around him.

He took special pride in his grandchildren, and great-grandchildren as they started arriving. He loved them each for their own special qualities, and showed that love by teasing them endlessly. That was just his way.

As he grew older, he developed an interest in, and love for, the Bible and his Creator, though he had never before been a particularly religious man. He became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1971, and spent the rest of his years enjoying talking to his neighbors about the hope of God’s coming Kingdom, and the relief it will soon bring to this troubled earth. These thoughts brought comfort to both Bill and his wife Bev as they struggled through the difficult last days of their life together; she, with a debilitating lung disease, and he with Alzheimer’s. It robbed him of his memory, but never the love of his family and friends.

He is survived by his daughters, Bonnie Chapman of Farmington and Wildwood, Fla., and Debi Mayo of Connelly Springs, N.C.; his grandchildren, Renee Blanchet and her husband, Michael and William Lovejoy and his wife, Melissa , both of Farmington, Ian Mayo of Chicago, Ill., Justin Mayo of Vergennes, Vt., and Jasmyn Mayo of Rockland; great-grandchildren, Drew and Riliegh Blanchet and Harley and Kain Lovejoy, all of Farmington; his brothers and sisters, Richard Chapman and his wife, Marcia, of Plainville, Conn., Joyce Morton and her husband, Rod, of Richmond, John Chapman and his wife, Diane, of Wiscasset, Paul Chapman of Dresden, Gloria James and her husband, Karl, of Richmond, Charles Chapman of Wiscasset, Bruce Chapman and his wife, Gail, of Richmond, Daniel Chapman and his wife, Sandra, of Richmond and Carroll Chapman and his wife, Sharon, of Vassalboro; and dozens of nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his wife, Bev, in May 2007; his brother, Norris Chapman Jr. of Richmond; his sisters, Elinor Collins of Lowell, Mass., and Phyllis Hall of Fairfield.