Shirley Beach Chapman

Shirley Beach Chapman, after being embraced by her Heavenly Father, has reunited with the love of her life, her husband John, who preceded her in death 18 years ago. Shirley, who passed away on May 8th, 2020 at the age of 85, was the very embodiment of a long life well lived.

Shirley and John grew up and spent most of their lives in Ithaca, NY after meeting while they both worked for NYSEG.

Later, they would spend their winters under the warm Florida sun while enjoying beautiful Ithaca summer days - with visits to family mixed in between the two.

Shirley spent the last 13 years of her life close to family in Henrietta, NY.

Her legacy is her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and all those to follow in her beloved family. In addition, her impact reached so many more whom she touched with her gentleness and love, cultivated from her love of and close relationship with Christ. If you knew Shirley, you loved her. But also, if you knew Shirley, you were loved by her.

John and Shirley together raised six spirited children born within a span of 8 years, all after being told they weren’t able to have children. Shirley was a homemaker in the truest sense of the word. She made the family's home one forever marked with love, grace, peace, and laughter--and she infused order from the chaos inherent with such a large family.

She and John were longstanding members of Bethel Grove Bible Church.

Preceding her in death are her husband, John George Chapman; her brothers, Franklin Beach of Chateaugay, NY and Jim Beach of Ithaca, NY; her mother Ruth (Beach) Bacon, and father Franklin Beach, both of Ithaca, NY; and great-granddaughter Cora Belle Brown, Colorado Springs, CO.

She is survived by her sister Jeannette (Richard) Knight; her children: David (Mary) Chapman of Columbus, IN; Nancy (Bill) Fisher of Interlaken, NY; Daniel (Karen) Chapman of Wintergreen, VA; Judy (Tom) Mulvaney of Henrietta, NY; Amy (Joe) Burczak of Henrietta, NY; and Deron (Liza) Chapman of Chili, NY; sixteen grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A celebration to honor Shirley’s life and influence is expected at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like to ask two things: 1. That you give pause and reflect on your own relationship with God, and make it the highest priority in your life as Shirley did, and her family strives to do every day; and, 2. That you consider a gift, monetary or otherwise, to the hospitals and medical workers who are currently on the front lines in the fight for the health, survival, and well-being of us all.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." Eph. 2: 8-9 (NIV)