North Carolina Co-Angler Terry Chapman Dies Suddenly
Well-known Walmart FLW Tour co-angler Terry Chapman of Stanley, N.C., died last week of a heart attack as he was being taken to a hospital for treatment. On Thursday, Jan. 8, the 68-year-old Chapman went to a local doctor to take a stress test, but was unable to complete it. He returned the next morning, but when Chapman exhibited symptoms of a heart attack, an ambulance was called to rush him to an area medical center. He died en route in the early afternoon of Friday, Jan. 9.
Chapman’s death cast a pall of sadness over several Carolina anglers currently in Florida practicing for upcoming tournaments. One of them, Todd Auten, was scheduled to room with Chapman. Both men were entered in the upcoming Rayovac FLW Series event on Lake Okeechobee.
“It was a big surprise for everybody who knew Terry. I still can’t believe it – we just talked a few days ago,” says Auten, of Lake Wylie, S.C. “Chris Baumgardner and Terry were real close. Chris introduced me to him back in 2002. We both made the cut in a Champlain tournament, and he needed a ride back to North Carolina afterward. So I took him. Ever since then Terry, Chris and I have pretty much traveled and stayed together whenever we could during the tournament season.”
“It’s hard when you lose somebody who’s your friend and you realize that you’re never going to see him again in this world,” says Baumgardner. “We met at an FLW tournament at Fort Gibson Lake in Oklahoma years ago and just hit it off. Of course, Terry was a friendly guy who was always happy and smiling, so everybody liked him. He was really looking forward to going to Florida. I’m going to miss him; I’ll never forget him as long as I live.”
Auten recalls that Chapman was also an excellent golfer who would frequently take a rod and reel along with his clubs on the course and stop and fish any large water hazards along the way. Chapman worked for a local car dealership in Mooresville.
“It’s going to be a rough two weeks in Florida without Terry around,” adds Auten. “But I know he would want all his friends to just keep fishing and do their best.”
Few co-anglers can match Chapman’s record of success in Walmart FLW Tour competition. In 1999, Chapman qualified for his first Forrest Wood Cup, and then won it. Overall, he qualified for eight championships and won more than $35,000 in them.
In 15 seasons on the Walmart FLW Tour, the South Carolina fisherman won two co-angler titles. He also won an FLW Series Eastern Division event in 2007. His best FLW Tour seasons came in 1999 and 2009, when he finished fifth in the rankings. In terms of prize money, Chapman’s richest regular season was in 2007, when he collected more than $23,000.
Woodlawn Funeral Home in Mount Holly is handling the arrangements. Condolences can be expressed at woodlawnfuneral.org. Visitation services only will take place Thursday evening, 6-8 p.m., at Hill’s Chapel United Methodist Church on Highway 16.