Mary Kathryn (Stein) Chapman

Mary Chapman was born 11/8/1959 in Denver and passed away on 9/8/2026 at the age of 66 from a fatal car accident in Aurora, Colorado, in which she was a pedestrian. Mary grew up in Denver, the 2nd youngest child of nine siblings. Mary graduated in 1977 from John F. Kennedy High School and went on to be trained at a culinary school as a chef. She established her own catering business where she shared her exquisite skills at weddings, funerals, banquets, parties, and other private and public functions. Mary lived and worked in Arizona for several years before returning to Colorado.

Mary is survived by her husband of 24 years, Ronald Chapman; her son James Fisher (Valerie); and her daughter, Sonja Fisher. She is also survived by her aunt, Angie (Stein) Melland; and eight siblings: Peter Stein (Colleen), Claudia Temple (Chuck), David Stein (Melanie), Ronald Stein, Kathleen Stein, Christine Voss (Vern), Lorraine Ware (John), and Tracy Beal (Ron B).

Mary's grandchildren are: Patience Fisher, Jett Fisher, and JJ Fisher; Deasia (Dee Dee) McCalmon, Nahsyah Bolar, and Brooklyn O'Cansey. Her great-grandchildren are: Jessica Rose and Kehlani Chapman, and Carmelita Bolar. Mary also has many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Mary's surviving in-laws are: Linda C. Felton, Countess E. Chapman, Jessica (Waudell) Tucker, and Jasmin M. Felton.

Preceding Mary in death are her parents Peter and Bernice Stein; in-laws George E. and Countess S. Chapman; and her beloved dog, Blessed.

Mary was passionate about cooking, fishing, jet-skiing, camping, animals, art (painting, drawing), music (singing, outdoor concerts, dancing), and her spiritual growth.

Of all the animals that Mary loved (in addition to her dog, Blessed), horses were one of her favorites (her spirit animal), especially the spirit of Colorado wild mustangs (and the Denver Broncos). Mustangs are small, hardy, agile, and free-roaming horses of the American West, known for their exceptional endurance, surefootedness, and diverse coat collars. Numerous pictures of horses grace the walls of Mary and Ron's home.

It's easy to see, from the spirit of this animal, why Mary connected to them so deeply. Small: Mary was petite in stature but had a heart as big as the great outdoors. Resilience and Endurance: Mary's ability to bounce back from her physical and emotional challenges was remarkable and an example to us all. Free-Roaming: Mary had a very humorous and adventurous spirit, and she certainly marched to the beat of a different drummer; it was hard to keep up with her. Sure-Footedness: Mary's spirituality and faith were strong and steadfast. She prayed daily to Jesus, God, and her angels for guidance. Her faith in them is what grounded her. Mary attended church faithfully and volunteered there whenever she had a chance. Diverse coat colors: Even though Mary was a tomboy at heart, her wardrobe was full of diverse colors and styles that made her feel beautiful. Before family gatherings she would usually call her sisters to ask, "What are you going to wear?", because she never wanted to overdress.

So many will miss her, and so we pray this blessing on us all:

In your leaving, we say peace.

With the last light of your dying, we say peace.

And where there is no peace, we say peace,

in the hope it will rest in our bones.

In your going, we say joy.

With the last breath of your leaving, we say joy.

And where there is no joy, we say joy,

in the hope it will soon dwell in our flesh.

In your departing, we say love.

With the earth taking you in, we say love.

And where there is no love, we say love,

in the hope it will come to our souls.

[Jan Richardson, How the Stars Get In Your Bones]

Service:

October 22, 2026, Time: 11:00 am

Colorado Community Church, 14000 E. Jewell Ave., Aurora, CO

Reception to follow at the church hall.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Mary's name to an organization whose Keensburg location is dedicated to saving Colorado wild mustangs:

Wild Animal Sanctuary

1946 County Road 53, Keensburg, CO 80643

wildanimalsanctuary.org