Mildred Marie Chapman (obituary)

Mildred “Millie” Chapman passed away peacefully at the Stillwater Medical Center in Stillwater, OK. to her eternal home on the beautiful spring afternoon of April 2, 2022. She was born on September 7, 1942, in Pawnee, Oklahoma to Henry and Lonie Tatum Chapman. Millie was born the eighth of 11 siblings, having six brothers, Basil, Thomas, Earl, Lloyd, Robert, Charlie, and four sisters, Daisy, Wanda, Alice, and Linda.

Millie was a proud member of the Pawnee Tribe and was raised the old Pawnee ways on the original Chapman home place out west. She had many close, country relatives and friends, with whom they all passed time together living the simple way of life. They rode horses and swam in the ponds. and had to help with the work, indoors and out.

Millie, along with her siblings, attended Pawnee County Olive Hill Grade School, Pawnee Indian Boarding School until the sixth grade, before graduating from Pawnee High School in 1961. She married David Deatherage and through their union, they had five children, David Deatherage Jr., Tammy Tubbs, twins Sonya Edwards & Susan Deatherage, and Derek Deatherage. The marriage later ended in divorce and Millie moved back home to Pawnee and later married Marvin Suneagle (deceased), where she has resided since. After moving to Pawnee, she worked for the Pawnee Nation Tribal Development Corporation, and Pawnee Nation Housing Authority, and helped with the Pawnee Bill Memorial Rodeo. She was one of the “Casino Queens” of Pawnee and she loved to gamble she would be very excited when hitting a jackpot on the Penny Machine. Some of her gambling buddies wereTweetieor Molly.

Millie loved spending time with her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, including Blake, Jordan, Brittany Weide; Ryan Deathrage; Alexandra and Emily Edward; Lanie, and Ella.

Millie was a caring and loving person with an ornery side once in a while. She was a strong Pawnee woman who lived through hard times, but along with her siblings, struggled and survived with a good life. They faced more adversities in their lives than most and always adapted, and overcame. and still chose joy at the end of the day. She leaves behind family and long-time friends who can share many joyful memories of her throughout the years. But the greatest gift she can pass on was her relationship and the love she had for our Father, God.

In addition to her children and grandchildren, Millie leaves behind the rest of the “three

musketeers”. her cherished sisters, Alice Chapman Wood of Stillwater and Linda Chapman Jestes (& husband, Ronnie) of Pawnee; plus a host of Chapman nieces, nephews, and many relatives from the Eaves and Stoneroad families. She deeply treasured her relationships with her whole family. ‘Nham all adored her back.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Sonya Edwards, grandson little David Ballard, step-son

David Deathrage Jr, Brittany Weide, great-granddaughter Eleanor DeVerges; two sisters, Daisy Miller.WandaChapman; six brothers, Basil, Thomas. Earl, Lloyd, Robert, Charlie and her parents. Henry and Lonie (Tatum) Chapman.