Newspaper Clipping

Article submitted by: Bob Chada

A pillar of the community, Leo Chappell dies at the age of 86

Friends and acquaintances remembered lifelong Guthrie resident and civic leader Leo Chappell Tuesday as a witty, intelligent and supportive man who gave much of his time to Guthrie and Logan County.

Chappell died Monday evening at Golden Age Nursing Home. He was 86.

"He was a very wonderful man, " John Kellogg, a fellow deacon with Chappell at the First Southern Baptist Church, said. "He loved cars, sports and OU basketball."

Starting at a Goodyear store in downtown Guthrie, Chappell was in the tire business for a number of years, eventually going into partnership with Ted Willie at Willie Tire, which was located on Division. He later attended real estate school and, with his son Hollie in the early 1960's, opened Golden Age Nursing Home, the oldest in Guthrie.

"Leo was one of the sharpest guys for his age that I ever knew. His mind was always sharp, and he was always looking into the events of Logan county. Whatever had any interest to him, he always wanted to look into it." longtime friend Kenneth Mitchell said.

The son of a county commissioner and active in politics himself, Chappell served on the Board of Logan county commissioners from January 1975 to May 1979, according to the Logan county Clerk's office. In later years, he served on various boards and commissions for the city of Guthrie, including the Board of Adjustment, the Planning Commission and the Capitol Townsite Historic Commission.

Mitchell remembered a practical joke played on Chappell, a vocal and lifelong Democrat, by his friends.

"Leo had coffee with a group every morning down in Rob Hudson's office and later at Tim Green's office. This group met at 8 o'clock every morning. It seemed that Leo was always the butt of most all the discussion, because he always earned it." Mitchell said.

Chappell is survived by one son, four grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren all of whom still live in the Guthrie Area.

Funeral services for Chappell will take place at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the First Southern Baptist Church. Friends may call at Smith Funeral Home from 11 a.m. Wednesday until 9 a.m. Thursday. The family has asked that memorials be made to the Cottonwood Clinic in Guthrie.

The copyright (s) on this page must appear on all
copied and/or printed material.