Matthew James "Jim" Chapman

Matthew James “Jim” Chapman, 81, of Bluffton, South Carolina, passed away unexpectedly at his home on Sunday, August 23, 2025.

Jim was born on February 7, 1944, in Youngstown, Ohio, to the late Matthew and Loretta Chapman. He grew up in the Youngstown suburb of Canfield and enjoyed summers boating and waterskiing on Lake Milton, developing skills he would surprise friends and family with later in life. After graduating from Canfield High School in 1962, he attended Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, where he was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and earned a Bachelor’s degree in the spring of 1966.

Ohio University was also where Jim met Penny Newell, who famously agreed to a first date after Jim stuffed his shoes to create the illusion that he was as tall as she was. Jim and Penny would marry in October of 1967, and she remained the love of his life through 54 years of marriage.

After graduating college, Jim and Penny moved to Cleveland, where Jim began work in the management training program at Society National Bank (now KeyBank). In a career spanning more than 40 years, Jim never quit or changed jobs, though his roles evolved from retail banking to electronic banking to digital payments and he was spun out or merged into other firms numerous times. He would eventually retire from First Data Corporation in 2007. Also after college, Jim spent a few years in the National Guard, training during summers at Camp Perry in Port Clinton, Ohio.

In Cleveland, Jim and Penny eventually settled in the suburb of South Euclid, where they lived for 35 years and built a network of friends they would keep for life. Their first home was on Freemont Road, where they bonded with neighbors over Lake Erie beach days and evening cookouts, the memories of which they cherished forever. Jim and Penny were long-time members and involved in congregational leadership at Forest Hill Church, Presbyterian, in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. It was also in South Euclid that Jim and Penny welcomed their only son, Chris, and supported him in every endeavor. Jim never said no to playing catch.

Jim survived a heart attack and triple bypass surgery in 2006; shortly thereafter, he and Penny moved to Sun City in Bluffton, SC, and began the retirement phase of their lives together. Again, they got involved in the community and formed tremendous friendships with their new neighbors. Jim was thrilled by the arrival of his brother, Dave, and sister-in-law, Mary Lou, who moved to Sun City at the same time. It was the first time Jim and Dave had lived in the same place since high school and they enjoyed the opportunity to reconnect. Retirement gave Jim and Penny the chance to truly indulge their love of travel, which they did with regular trips all around the world. Jim also became an avid golfer in retirement, eventually accepting the role of President of the Sun City Monday 9-hole league and organizing a neighborhood group that played together religiously every Wednesday for years.

When Penny was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Jim invested his entire being into her care until her passing in 2021. Rather than sulking, Jim chose to honor her by setting out to achieve all of the things they had planned to do together. He amazed friends with his energy, taking numerous international trips and doting on his granddaughters, Piper and Tenley, maintaining near-perfect attendance at their dance competitions and performances across Ohio and Michigan. He accomplished a remarkable amount in the next four years – seeing his nephew’s wedding in Italy, cruising across the Atlantic to Africa and Europe, resolving the estate of a long-lost cousin in New Mexico, hauling his granddaughters to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Scotland and jumping off cliffs with them in the Bahamas. His absence will be felt by so many people in so many ways, and his spirit will be missed dearly.

In death, Jim is reunited with his beloved Penny, as well as his parents and brother, Dave. He is survived by his son Chris and his wife Rhonda of Shaker Heights, Ohio, and their daughters, Piper and Tenley, who remain Jim’s pride and joy. He will be remembered by Mary Lou, brother-in-law Dwight, sister-in-law Jeanne, nieces Lori and Jennifer, nephews Brooks, Kyle, Shane and Reese, and all of their families.

A celebration of life will be held in Bluffton, South Carolina, at a later date.

As a final gesture of his love for Penny, Jim would ask that any donations be made in her memory to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) at https://pancan.org.