John Warthen Chappell, Sr.

John Warthen Chappell, Sr., a selfless and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully under Hospice care at the Georgia War Veterans Home in Milledgeville, Georgia, on March 14, 2021, at the age of 88.

A graveside funeral service will be held at 2 pm on Friday, March 19, at Dublin Memorial Gardens, with Brian Ellington and Rev. Jeffrey Alligood, officiating and remarks from family friend Clift Crews. David Brown, Ray Brown, Jay Chappell, Bo Claxton, Clift Crews, Wallace Miller, Ricky Slaughter, and Glenn Warnock will serve as pallbearers. The family will receive friends from 1 pm until the service hour at the cemetery.

Mr. Chappell was born November 23, 1932, in Dudley, Georgia. He was the son of the late Warthen Thomas Chappell and Effie Bedingfield Chappell. He was preceded in death by the love of his life (“purtiest” redhead in the county) and wife of 60 years Joyce Brown Chappell and his brother Roy James Chappell.

Mr. Chappell is survived by his two sons, John W. Chappell, Jr. (Becky) and Chris H. Chappell, of Dudley; two granddaughters Ansley C. Ellington (Brian), of Dudley and Brynne H. Chappell, of Nashville, TN; two great-grandsons Chap T. Ellington and Beckett H. Ellington, of Dudley; and several loved nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, and many life-long friends.

John graduated from the Dudley Consolidated Schools, class of 1949 (11^th grade back then), Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, and the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!). He was a lifelong member of Dudley Baptist Church. He proudly served in the United States Army in their Security Agency as a Morse Code Interceptor during the Korean Conflict. He was a retired Farmer and Agri-Businessman of Chappell & Hogan, Chappell Fertilizer Company, and management of the cotton gin and peanut house in Dudley.

Mr. Chappell loved his community and fellow man, so with a servant’s heart, he gave of his time and talents as follows: was a member of the Dudley Community Civic Club and chairman of the building committee for the civic pool built in 1962, which is still in use today; founded (with much parent support) and coached (with good friend and assistant coach, Silas Locke) for many years the “Dudley Phillies” baseball teams, in the Laurens County League at that time, and donated land for a baseball field (now used for the Dudley Little League games) for county team league play in Dudley; also coached the Women’s Softball Team at Dudley Baptist Church for several years; helped with the construction of the Trinity Christian School football field, by donating the use of his John Deere 4020 tractor, bottom plow and irrigation system; helped with mission work in hurricane ravaged McClellanville, SC, when he took his mobile saw mill there, accompanied by Silas Locke, to cut boards from downed pine trees to help rebuild homes and businesses of that area; member of the Dudley City Council; member of the Georgia Cattleman’s Association; member of the Elks Club; member (and master canasta player) of the Dudley Supper Club; member of the “Old Buzzards” club, where he and Joyce enjoyed annual get together with his army buddies and their spouses; and bank director for the Bank of Dudley for 50 years.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to Dudley Baptist Church, 1425 Second Street, Dudley, GA 31022; Trinity Christian School, 200 Trinity Road, Dublin, GA 31021 or the Georgia War Veterans Home, 2249 Vinson Highway, Milledgeville, GA 31061 (Attn. Joseph Dean).

Townsend Brothers Funeral Home and Staff respectfully ask all in attendance to the services to wear a mask and follow social distancing guidelines. 

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