Jean Chapple

Harriet Jean Ward was born in Leavenworth, KS on a cold, snowy day on April 16, 1921. Her Father gave her brother a nickel to buy coal so she could come into the world all warm and cozy. She was the sixth of seven children of whom only four survived into adulthood.

She went to grade school at the Old Cathedral Grade School in Leavenworth and received a scholarship to Immaculata High School. She was the Solidarity President of her high school class that promoted charity, human friendship and the common good.

Her first job after high school was at Ettison's Department Store where she operated the elevator for $5.00 a week. She often said that she went "up and down and up and down and was bored to tears." Knowing that operating the elevator was not her calling in life, she got a job at Gould Battery Factory in the office as a bookkeeper. This job she loved and it would be the career that she continued throughout her working life.

She and her friends planned a trip to Hot Springs, AR one summer and she wanted to wear shorts. She fondly remembered this trip and especially that she had to ask her Father's permission to wear the shorts.

Jean was an avid tennis player and a dedicated member of her beloved bridge club. She kept in touch with them her entire life and visited with them on trips back home.

After Gould Batter Factory she worked at B & G Motor Company as a bookkeeper. She had earned the nickname of "Legs Ward" because of her shapely limbs. This fact was not lost on a very handsome, funny and flirty mechanic named Chappie at B & G. He would peek into her office flirting with her, admiring her legs and she would indignantly pull out the file drawer on her desk so he could not see them. But he kept coming back to see Jean. She was shy and flattered by his attention but kept him at arm's length, not accepting his pleas for dates. One evening she was walking with her sister Mary and they saw Chappie. Jean told Mary all about him and Mary whistled at him and motioned him to come over to where they were. Thus began the courtship of Jean and Chappie. Harriet Jean Ward and William B. "Chappie" Chapple, Jr. were married on October 17, 1948 in the priest's parlor of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. In 1949 they had a daughter, Patricia and in 1950 a son, William B. III. In the late 1950's Jean worked for Julius Walstien a CPA in Leavenworth, until she had twins, Deborah and Edward in 1959.

In 1960, hoping for a better life Jean, Chappie and the kids moved to Aurora, CO. Aurora was chosen because her beloved Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth had a school there, St.Therese Grade School and of course the parish. In 1962 they were presented with their fifth child, Linda.

In 1965 Jean decided to go back to work and applied for a job at a new department store that was being built at 6th and Peoria in Aurora, not far from home. To her surprise she was hired as the General Office Manager of Woolco. She opened the store and 17 years later had the sad job of having to help close the store in 1983. She made so many wonderful friends there who she loved and who loved her back. They stayed in touch with picnics, phone calls and visits for the rest of her life. With the closing of Woolco Jean decided to retire. Being someone who could not just sit around, she got involved in the Epilepsy Support Group and helped start the Share program at St. Therese until her Spinal Stenosis prevented her from sitting for extended periods of time. She was a member of St. Therese Altar and Rosary and a dedicated member of St. Therese Parish.

Jean sacrificed many things over the years for her children. She went without so much to make sure they all went to and graduated from St. Therese School. The greatest gift she had to give was her amazing gift of faith and that is the most precious gift that one can ever hope to receive.

Jean passed over on August 20, 2012 at the age of 91 with her rosary in her hand and her thumb and index finger on one of the beads. She slipped quietly in her sleep, perhaps praying herself out of this world and into the next.

She is survived by her children, Patricia "Casey" Chapple, Deborah (Donald) DiFiore, Edward (Janet) Chapple, Linda (Craig) Walters, 10 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren with 2 on the way and 1 great-great grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her husband, William B. "Chappie" Chapple, Jr. and her son, William B. "Bill" Chapple, III.

Donations can be made to: The Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, 4200 So. 4th Street, Leavenworth, KS 66048 "In Memory of Jean Ward Chapple"

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