Dr. John S. Chapman, 84, of Dubuque, died Sunday, July 1, 2012 at home surrounded by his family. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, July 5th at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church with the Rev. Mark Ressler officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1:00 - 7:00 Wednesday, July 4th at the church where a parish scripture wake service will be held at 6:30.

John Stephen Chapman was born in Los Angeles, Calif. on August 13, 1927 to Nathaniel D. and Barbara Burns Chapman. The eldest of two sons, he grew up in Virginia. Upon graduation from Fishburne Military School in 1945, he enlisted in the Navy.

Dr. Chapman attended Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. After graduating, in 1950, he enrolled in medical school at the University of Virginia. Upon graduating from medical school in 1954, Dr. Chapman secured a residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Iowa.

As an intern at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, he met his wife Mary Jo. The Chapmans moved to Dubuque in the summer of 1958, where Dr. Chapman joined Dr. Gene Coffman in what is now known as Dubuque Internal Medicine. He would remain with the practice until his retirement in 1996.

Dr. Chapman's professional accomplishments were many. They include membership on the Dubuque Visiting Nurse Association board, the Mount Pleasant board, the Finley Hospital Foundation board, and the Hospice of Dubuque board, of which he also served as co-director. He was founder and medical director of Dubuque City Ambulance, president of the Dubuque Medical Society, president of the Iowa Society of Internal Medicine, and was a Fellow of the American College of Physicians. In 1992, he was named Internist of the Year by the Iowa Clinical Society of Internal Medicine. During retirement, he was an active member of Dubuque Rotary and served on the board of the Dubuque Museum of Art. A committed professional, he spent his career not only extending superior care to his patients but also seeking to keep Dubuque up to date with medical technology. He was responsible for bringing modern, medically-equipped ambulance service to Dubuque. He oversaw training of the city's first emergency medical technicians.

Dr. Chapman's concern for the health and welfare of his many patients over the years extended to his large family and numerous friends. His warm, non-judgmental character and genuine interest in those around him will not be forgotten.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Mary Jo; children: Cathy (Mike) McCarty of Minneapolis, Steve (Sue) Chapman of Dubuque, Dr. Beth (Peter) Hanlon of Salt Lake City, Carol (Paul) Librizzi of Park City, Utah, Dan (Charlene) Chapman of Rockwall, Texas, Dr. Michael (Laura) Chapman of Dubuque, and Mary Kay (Charlie) Callahan of Shoreview, Minnesota; seventeen grandchildren and one great grandson; and brother Dabney Chapman of Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

Dr. Chapman's family thanks Dr. Mark Hermann, the Oncology Department at Dubuque Internal Medicine and Hospice of Dubuque for their compassionate care.

Memorials may be given to Hospice of Dubuque, The Finley Health Foundation, Mercy Health Foundation, or Dubuque Museum of Art.

The Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Westview Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 2659 JFK Rd. is in charge of arrangements.


On line condolences may be sent to www.egelhofsiegertcasper.com