Paul Dunbar Chapman WG79 passed away on November 29, 2017, surrounded by his loving family, after a brief struggle with cancer. A beloved and dedicated friend, father, grandfather, husband, and Houstonian, Paul gave unstintingly of himself to the people and the city he loved. Paul’s gusto for life knew no bounds. He traveled the globe, surfed on three continents, and had friends the world over. Born in Houston in 1953 to Erminie and David Chapman, Paul attended St. John’s School, Rice University, and the Wharton School of Business. He fell in love with his wife and partner of more than 35 years, Cathy, when they met on the beach in Mexico as teenagers. He is also survived by his mother, Erminie; son Dillon and his wife, Valeria, and granddaughter Isabel; his son Taylor and wife, Jessica; and five sisters—Ann, Carrie, Crista, Clara, and Ruth—and their families.
In his professional and civic lives, Paul loved to build. After a career in real estate and construction management, he joined Belmont Village as chief development officer and founding partner in 1996 and built the company for 21 years. Belmont is now one of America’s premier senior living companies, with more than 25 communities across the U.S. and Mexico. Paul loved the city of Houston and worked all his life to make it a better place. He served on the boards of the Houston Zoo and Houston Center for Photography and was chair or vice chair of the boards of Scenic Houston, the Urban Land Institute’s Senior Housing Council, St. John’s School, and Teach for America-Houston. His boundless energy shone through in his numerous hobbies: photography, surfing , quail hunting, reading, fine wine and cigars, fly-fishing, stand-up paddleboarding, badminton, and tennis. He was a beloved mentor to dozens of his children’s friends and shaped hundreds of lives. Above all, he will be remembered for the joy he gave to every single person whose life he touched; he was known for his exuberant and infectious sense of humor, warmth, wit, generosity, storytelling, and remarkable hosting prowess.
