Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory

Born in Florida in 1929 and raised by loving parents who loved music and family, Christina was a natural singer.  She grew up with her four sisters, Daisy, Grace, Barbara and Ethel, and younger brother Samuel in a loving environment.  After her father passed and her older sisters departed for New York City, she later joined them where she finished school and took voice lessons and sang as a Soprano Soloist in the Church of the Masters Choir in Harlem, and earned commissions to sing at weddings and events.  She met her husband, Hurriah Chapman and they were blessed with three wonderful children, Johann, Pia, and Pietro.  While raising her children, Christina continued her singing and dancing with personalities such as Babatunde Olatunji and Miriam Makeba, and became a popular person to call for background solo sounds at other studios.  Later, an opportunity from her Agent came that changed her life – an interview as a personal receptionist for Harry Belafonte.  Someone would late ask why take the job as a receptionist when you can sing?  Because it’s for Harry Belafonte!  She got the job!  She was the best they ever had!  She worked the job until the family received orders to go to France in 1963.  In France, she continued her voice training and sang at many venues, culminating in her completion of a solo album called “Negro Spirituals”, with the Paris American Choir.  Upon returning to the United States, she sang as a Soprano soloist in the Fort Myer Virginia Chapel Choir.  After another European tour in 1968, she returned to Ft Myer Chapel and resumed her singing until she retired.  Mrs. Chapman has earned many accolades and awards for her singing and has sung at a myriad of weddings across the Washington Metropolitan area over the decades and has received numerous certificates of appreciation for her service to Military Chapels in Europe and at Ft Myer.  She will be greatly missed.

 



On Friday, October 23, 2020 of Temple Hills, MD. Beloved wife of the late Hurriah Chapman; loving mother of Pia and Pietro Chapman and the late Johann Z. Chapman; dear grandmother of Danielle, Erin, Courtney, Noel and Kyle; great grandmother of seven; dear aunt of Jewel, Johanna, Tanya and Sabrina. Also survived by a host of loving friends and family.
Relatives and friends are invited to Christina's Life Celebration on Saturday, November 7, 2020, from 2 to 5 pm at the Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory, 6160 Oxon Hill Rd., Oxon Hill, MD, 20745. A funeral service will take place at the Old Post Chapel, Ft. Myer, VA  on Friday, January 22, 2021 at 11 a.m. followed by interment in Arlington National Cemetery. Please use the Fort Myer Entrance to get to the Old Post Chapel. Please arrive at 10:15 a.m. with one's own transportation and a government issued photo ID. 



Topic: Christina Chapman's Life Celebration
Time: Nov 7, 2020 01:45 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

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Christina Virginia Chapman

Christina Virginia Chapman

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