Louise I. (Pearson) Chapman, 73, of Poinciana, Florida, died August 8, 2015 after losing a long and very courageous battle with COPD.

Louise was born in Everett, Mass. on January 19, 1942, the daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Lee) Pearson. Shortly after her birth, the family returned to their home town of Bath, where Louise grew up. She graduated from Morse High School where she was a stellar student. Missing part of her junior year due to being hospitalized with rheumatic fever, and completing her junior and senior years in one year of school, she still graduated with honors with her classmates in the class of 1960.

She was offered a scholarship for higher education, but decided instead, to venture directly into the work force. She was employed by New England Telephone Company as a telephone operator until moving to Great Bend, Kansas in 1969 with her husband, Edward Chapman, who had just completed his military service in Bath. Moving to his home state, Louise looked forward to raising a family. She spent 31 years in Kansas where she became a devoted mother to her only daughter. For several years, Louise and her husband ran their own business, Chapman’s Tavern, in Radium, Kansas. She later moved to the Orlando, Florida area to live with her daughter, Laurie, and her family.

Louise cherished her family. Her daughter and grandchildren were her pride and joy and she felt very blessed to be able to see them every day. She was an avid reader, loved spending time at the ocean and fell in love with horses at a young age. In Kansas, Louise had a 10-acre farm with anywhere from four to 15 horses. She was very proud when she learned to ride and loved trail rides with family and friends. She loved the grand state of Maine and treasured her memories of growing up there. She visited New England as much as possible to stay close with her two sisters in Maine and New Hampshire.

She will be remembered always for her kindness, intelligence and great sense of humor. She will be sorely missed by her family and all who knew her.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Laurie and Marcos Tavarez; granddaughter, Trinity Dixon; grandson Anthony Tavarez; stepgrandson, Gabriel Tavarez; and stepgranddaughter, Erika Tavarez, all of the Poinciana, Florida area. She is also survived by two sisters, Joanne Farmer and her husband, Roy of Wiscasset, and Jane Stevenson of Manchester, N.H.; four nieces, several grandnieces and grandnephews, and one great-grandniece, along with many cousins.