Dr. Stanley Willetts Chapman

Dr. Stanley “Stan” Willetts Chapman of Jackson, Mississippi passed away on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at the age of 78 in Bay St. Louis, MS. We celebrate the life of a remarkable physician, family man, brother, and friend, whose unwavering compassion and dedication to healing will continue beyond his earthly days.

Dr. Chapman was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1946 to Dr. Stanley Brucker Chapman and Dorris Jane Willetts, RN. When he was a young child, his family moved to Bath, New York. His father was a general practitioner and his mother a nurse and instructor of anesthesiology, which influenced his decision to become a doctor and instructor.

Dr. Chapman graduated from Haverling Central High School in 1964, where he received induction into the National Honor Society. During those years, he also earned the rank of Eagle Scout in Scouting. After high school, he followed in his father and grandfather’s footsteps, graduating from Colgate University, majoring in zoology, and earning induction into Phi Beta Kappa. He then attended medical school at the University of Rochester in New York, graduating with distinction in 1972 and being elected to the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society. He completed his internship and residency at Emory University and affiliated hospitals in Atlanta in 1974. From 1974-1977 he earned an esteemed fellowship at the National Institutes of Health, in Bethesda, MD. This was followed by a second fellowship in infectious disease at the University of Rochester. He received board certification in Internal Medicine, Allergy Immunology, and Infectious Disease. In 1979, the family moved to Jackson where Dr. Chapman joined the VA Hospital and the University of Mississippi Medical School (UMMC) faculty. He had quite the love of Mississippi and UMMC because he was given the opportunity to practice medicine, teach, and practice medical research, three of his passions.

Over the years, he held numerous leadership positions, including Professor, Vice Chairman for Clinical Operations and Academic Affairs, and Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Integrity. He also served as Chief of Medical Services at G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. In 1988, he assumed director of the Division of Infectious Disease at UMMC, a role he held until his retirement. In addition, he served as medical director of the Division of Correctional Medicine for the state of Mississippi in 1998.

Dr. Chapman’s contributions to the medical community were vast, and he will be remembered not only as a physician with renowned bedside manners - patient, kind and compassionate - but also as a leader and mentor. Dr. Chapman proudly served in the Mississippi Air National Guard from 1982 to 2004, holding various command positions, including Chief of Aerospace Medicine, Commander of the 172nd Squadron and retired as Brigadier General. From 1996 until his retirement, he served as State Air Surgeon of Mississippi. He retired from the VA medical center after serving from 1979 to 2004, during which time he made significant contributions to the healthcare and well-being of veterans.

During his career, he received the prestigious election to membership in the American Clinical and Climatological Association (ACCA) for his exceptional contributions to this field. And upon retiring from UMMC, he was awarded and honored with Emeritus Professor of Medicine. Later, in 2022, the American College of Physicians awarded him the Mississippi Chapter 2022 Laureate Award.

Dr. Chapman loved his family. He and his wife, Stephanie Bourgeois of Louisiana, together raised four children. His office was always filled with family photos and the children’s artwork. He was a devoted supporter of the arts, such as the symphony, ballet, and visual arts. Dr. Chapman had a deep love for sports. He enjoyed a wide circle of friends, including his group at Boxing for Parkinson’s (Strong Rock Steady Boxing Program), folks from his retired medical luncheon club, and the Epicurean couple’s supper club.

In the mid-2000s he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He lived and faced each day courageously with hope, grace, and love, becoming an inspiration to many. Even in death, his love of medical research lives on through his donation to the MERI’s Genesis Whole Body Donation Program.

Dr. Chapman was predeceased by his parents.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 51 years, Stephanie Bourgeois Chapman; four children, Stanley D. Chapman of Houston, Courtenay Marie Middleton (Todd “TJ”) of Santa Fe, Catie Carlyle Zimmerman, MD (Joseph “Bo”) of Jackson, and John Charles “JAC” Chapman, MD of Lafayette; six grandchildren, Sarah-Catherine and Scarlett Chapman, Lyla Middleton, Bo, Roane and John Carlyle Zimmerman; brother, John Chapman (Shirley) of Bath; and many other family members.

The family offers special thanks to Cassandra Donelson, Kermit Snow, and Mary Watson, and to the services, such as Gentiva, that cared for Dr. Chapman during his later years.

A Memorial Reception will be held in Jackson, MS at a future date (early 2025). Check back for date and time.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Rock Steady Boxing Program, First Baptist Church of Jackson, P.O. Box 250, Jackson, MS 39205; Infectious Diseases Society of America Foundation, 4040 Wilson Blvd, Ste 300, Arlington, VA 22203; or Michael J Fox Parkinson Foundation, Grand Central Station P.O. Box 4777 New York, NY 10163.