Corley “Brother” Chapman Jr.

Corley “Brother” Chapman, Jr., age 72, of Troy, died peacefully in his home at the Allred House on Friday, May 4, 2012.

Brother was born July 30, 1939 to Lucie Cox Chapman and Corley Chapman, Sr. in Troy.  He graduated from the Troy Elementary School in 1951 and Troy High School in 1957.  He graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 1962 where he was a member of Sigma Nu social fraternity.  After college, he joined the Navy and served for two years in Boston.  In 1964, Brother moved to Tupelo, MS and where he worked as a bank examiner for the FDIC.  In 1966, Brother returned to Troy and began working at Troy Bank and Trust Company where he served as Trust Officer and Vice President.  Since 1971, he served as a dedicated board member of Troy Bank and Trust Company and later served on the board of Henderson Bancshares.

Brother was a lifetime collector and patron of the arts.  He served on the board of the Troy-Pike Cultural Arts Center, and was a longtime member of the Troy Arts Council and instrumental in starting the Jean Lake Arts Festival, which later became TroyFest.  He was a generous contributor to Auburn University and Troy University.  He was a historian, a philanthropist and a world traveler.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his beloved aunts, Helen Cox Enzor and Nell Cox Sellers; his brother-in-law, Alonzo H. Lee, Jr.; and a cousin, Ken Starling.  Survivors include his sister, Ann Chapman Cox (Jimmy) of Birmingham; nieces, Kimberly Bean (Nelson) and Lucie Haynes (Brad) of Birmingham, Meagher Whigham (Wagon) of Mobile, and Helen  Hyde (Cabot) of Nashville; 13 great nieces and nephews; numerous cousins, including Janet Smith of Opelika; and close friends, including Kristi and Jeff Smith of Auburn.  After a private burial at Oakwood Cemetery on Monday, May 7, 2012  a Memorial and Celebration will be held between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Emporium, 114 West Walnut in Troy.  Pallbearers will be Jim Clower, Ken Hendricks, Allen Jones, Ty Nunn, Bobby Rice, Eddy Sikes, Jeff Smith, Morris Smith, and Bill Thompson.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Troy-Pike Cultural Arts Center Building Fund, P. O. Box 863, Troy, AL 36081 or a charity of your choice.