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Martha Mary Hapka Chapple
07/22/1917 — 03/24/2006
From Richland, WA, US | Born in Argyle, Minnesota
Martha Mary Hapka Chapple
Martha Mary Hapka Chapple, 88, passed away on March 24, 2006 at Kadlec Medical Center.
She was born in Argyle, Minnesota on July 22, 1917, one of 7 children born to Mary and Felix Hapka. She married Robert Emmett Chapple on June 20, 1942. Martha and Bob moved to Richland in 1955 and purchased a small farm on Road 60 in Pasco in 1959. Martha was a wonderful mother to her 5 children. She was the heart of the neighborhood, sharing her garden produce, pies and cinnamon rolls with neighbors and friends.
Martha and the family moved back to Richland in 1967 where she was involved with the Christ the King Catholic Church rummage sale and Sausage Fest. She learned to decorate cakes as a hobby and turned it into a thriving business. She was a good friend and caregiver to numerous Pasco and Richland residents.
She is survived by her sister Theresa Hapka of Honolulu, HI, her children Jean Kitson of Pt. Townsend, WA, Jim Chapple of Bickleton, WA, Rick and wife Debbie Chapple of Dana Point, CA, Barbara Chapple of Kirkland, WA, Greg and wife Tracey Chapple of Goldendale, WA, her 8 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. Martha was preceded in death by her husband Robert in 1995.
Martha's extended family includes Mickie Chamness and Duane Horton, Bea and Ralph Pohto and Mary Jane Resch, all of Richland
Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 29, 2006, at Einans Funeral Home. The Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, March 30, 2006, at Christ the King Catholic Church, Interment will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens.
Visitation will be at Einans Funeral Home from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. both Tuesday and Wednesday.
Mary,
My deepest sympathy and prayers are with you and know that God is with you and gram is in a much better place….looking down on you, smiling and thanking you for everything you’ve done for her. I know she was very proud of her grandaughter! Love You! Stephanie
Martha was a wonderful mother and a great cook. She has a big heart that stretched all over the countryside, and she will live on in our memories forever. God bless her family and ease them in their sorrow.
Dear entire Chapple Clan,
It is with great regret that I am unable to make it for the funeral, but I hope to share my deepest love for you all as we share in a tremendous loss for our family, and an amazing celebration of an exemplary woman. Strangely enough the older I get the less I remember my childhood, but some of the fondest memories I have are of those with Grandma and Grandpa. I used to love watching Lawrence Welk with Grandma whenever we were together. To this day when it comes on I have to watch it and whenever I here Big Band music or Waltzes and the such, Im nostalgically taken back to my childhood in a home where I always felt love, safety, and joy. I loved picking the sweet peas in Grandmas garden and washing them with her, of course eating more than I actually helped with. She instilled a true love and joy for gardening that I am just now trying my hand with. Whenever I got to stay the night at her house she always had me sleep in the same homey room and I will never forget the chenille blankets she had that she always wrapped me in and then said the same prayer with me every time. There was such a consistency in her love and no one was any more special than another, she loved us all so unconditionally. While I was not born by blood to this family, there has never been a time where I was ever reminded of that. Admittedly as the years have gone on I have found myself very distant, seeing very little of Grandma, carrying with me a deep regret before, but especially now, for allowing that to happen. I remember when my first son, Chancelor, was born and I came into town to visit family. Aaron drove me and my son over to Grandmas and she was just so happy to see us. We had such a nice visit and when we left her house I will never forget looking back as we drove away only to see Grandma still standing at the edge of her patio waving at us with tears in her eyes until we couldnt see her anymore. Its strange how we let the ones that love us the most escape our list of priorities. My children will never understand the loss as Grandma truly had so much love to give, but she taught me so much about the character of being a woman, a friend to others, a charitable person and a God fearing human being, that I hope parts of her character are in me to shine through for them. Grandma had the neatest talents and she shared them freely, and yet she was truly one of the most humble women I knew. She took us to the senior citizens home often when I was young and we were always making someones day better. I believe I owe my compassionate heart to God, genes, and my Grandma Chapple. I missed so much time with Grandma, but I am truly, truly so very grateful for what time I was blessed to have with her and for the amazing example and matriarch that she was for all of us. She was an absolute pillar of strength. I only hope that I become even half the woman in my lifetime that Grandma was in hers. I know our Heavenly Father is happy to be able to welcome his daughter home, she served her time here on earth well. May we all remember our purpose here and strive to live our lives in the virtuous way that Grandma lived hers. I send you all my love and pray for your tears of sadness to become tears of laughter as you too remember the joys shared and deep love that came as a blessing of being a part of Grandmas family. I will forever miss my Grandparents, but Grandpa now finally has his lovely wife back forever. What more could we ever want for them both? I suppose thats what makes this hardship so bitter sweet. GOD bless Grandma, and may she rest in peace knowing her work here is done. And what a great job it was!
My sincerest love to you all! XOXOXOXO
~ Dusty Lee Chapple/Perez
You asked me what I would like as a rememberance of your mom’s. But what I would really like of your mom’s are the things I can’t have
– her touch with her grandkids that let her be firm but left them eager to come back and see her
– her touch with plants, able to get the best out of all of them, and a vegetable garden that I always envied
– her touch with food that let her tell if the sugar cookies were too thick or thin by just touching them and that could feed the whole
Chapple clan so easily
– her energy and strength that let her do so much for so long
You’d think after all the years I knew her that I’d have learned some
of these things from her. She made it all seem pretty simple.
Love,
Mickie
Mary,
My deepest sympathy and prayers are with you and know that God is with you and gram is in a much better place….looking down on you, smiling and thanking you for everything you’ve done for her. I know she was very proud of her grandaughter! Love You! Stephanie
Martha was a wonderful mother and a great cook. She has a big heart that stretched all over the countryside, and she will live on in our memories forever. God bless her family and ease them in their sorrow.
Dear entire Chapple Clan,
It is with great regret that I am unable to make it for the funeral, but I hope to share my deepest love for you all as we share in a tremendous loss for our family, and an amazing celebration of an exemplary woman. Strangely enough the older I get the less I remember my childhood, but some of the fondest memories I have are of those with Grandma and Grandpa. I used to love watching Lawrence Welk with Grandma whenever we were together. To this day when it comes on I have to watch it and whenever I here Big Band music or Waltzes and the such, Im nostalgically taken back to my childhood in a home where I always felt love, safety, and joy. I loved picking the sweet peas in Grandmas garden and washing them with her, of course eating more than I actually helped with. She instilled a true love and joy for gardening that I am just now trying my hand with. Whenever I got to stay the night at her house she always had me sleep in the same homey room and I will never forget the chenille blankets she had that she always wrapped me in and then said the same prayer with me every time. There was such a consistency in her love and no one was any more special than another, she loved us all so unconditionally. While I was not born by blood to this family, there has never been a time where I was ever reminded of that. Admittedly as the years have gone on I have found myself very distant, seeing very little of Grandma, carrying with me a deep regret before, but especially now, for allowing that to happen. I remember when my first son, Chancelor, was born and I came into town to visit family. Aaron drove me and my son over to Grandmas and she was just so happy to see us. We had such a nice visit and when we left her house I will never forget looking back as we drove away only to see Grandma still standing at the edge of her patio waving at us with tears in her eyes until we couldnt see her anymore. Its strange how we let the ones that love us the most escape our list of priorities. My children will never understand the loss as Grandma truly had so much love to give, but she taught me so much about the character of being a woman, a friend to others, a charitable person and a God fearing human being, that I hope parts of her character are in me to shine through for them. Grandma had the neatest talents and she shared them freely, and yet she was truly one of the most humble women I knew. She took us to the senior citizens home often when I was young and we were always making someones day better. I believe I owe my compassionate heart to God, genes, and my Grandma Chapple. I missed so much time with Grandma, but I am truly, truly so very grateful for what time I was blessed to have with her and for the amazing example and matriarch that she was for all of us. She was an absolute pillar of strength. I only hope that I become even half the woman in my lifetime that Grandma was in hers. I know our Heavenly Father is happy to be able to welcome his daughter home, she served her time here on earth well. May we all remember our purpose here and strive to live our lives in the virtuous way that Grandma lived hers. I send you all my love and pray for your tears of sadness to become tears of laughter as you too remember the joys shared and deep love that came as a blessing of being a part of Grandmas family. I will forever miss my Grandparents, but Grandpa now finally has his lovely wife back forever. What more could we ever want for them both? I suppose thats what makes this hardship so bitter sweet. GOD bless Grandma, and may she rest in peace knowing her work here is done. And what a great job it was!
My sincerest love to you all! XOXOXOXO
~ Dusty Lee Chapple/Perez
You asked me what I would like as a rememberance of your mom’s. But what I would really like of your mom’s are the things I can’t have
– her touch with her grandkids that let her be firm but left them eager to come back and see her
– her touch with plants, able to get the best out of all of them, and a vegetable garden that I always envied
– her touch with food that let her tell if the sugar cookies were too thick or thin by just touching them and that could feed the whole
Chapple clan so easily
– her energy and strength that let her do so much for so long
You’d think after all the years I knew her that I’d have learned some
of these things from her. She made it all seem pretty simple.
Love,
Mickie
Jim and family,
We are so sorry for your loss, Martha was an great woman, mother, grandmother and for me a great mother in-law. Always so kind and helpful and full of love. She has earned a special place in our hearts and I’m sure a secial place in heaven.
Love to the family
Shirley, Nick, Sean and Tiffany
Mary,
Sending my deepest sympathy to you and your family at the loss of your Grandma. I know it is difficult to let go, but know that she is in a much better place now. Let me know if you need anything. Love, Johnna
Oh, my dear Jim. Please forgive me for omitting your name in my message. How could I do such a thing? I think my mind is presently not functioning properly. I am so very sorry. Karen
My dearest cousins Jean, Rick, Barb, Greg, Mary & the entire Chapple clan. Words will never adequately express my deep sorrow for your tremendous loss. Please know that you are in my thoughts & I pray that God will give you strength during these difficult days.
She was my dear, dear Aunt but oh so much more – my “mom,” my sister, my friend, my confidant, my rock, my earth-angel & now my heavenly angel. She was a tremendous example of kindness, patience, understanding & acceptance. As a child, she showered me with love, yet was not afraid to straighten me out when I needed it. As an adult, she shared my secrets & encouraged my hopes & dreams. No matter how busy she was with raising her beautiful children, she always had time to devote attention to a niece. I shudder to think how my life may have turned out without her unconditional love & guidance. She truly was the most beautiful person I knew. I will carry her in my heart forever.
My prayers and good wishes are with Martha and her family during this difficult time. I am particularly grateful to her loving daughters, Jean and Barb, who have done so much to enrich my life.
May peace and comfort be with you all.
Love,
Trina Beneker
Big hugs for the whole Chapple family from the extended family in Spain. Martha touched our lives, even here.
Guestbook for
Martha Mary Hapka Chapple