David Chappell, longtime Texas attorney and former Fort Worth city councilman, dies at 78
The name David Chappell is almost synonymous with the development of Fort Worth and its community in recent years, loved ones said. The attorney, chairman of the board of Medical City Fort Worth Hospital and former Fort Worth City Council member died Thursday evening at the age of 78.
Chappell was known for his dry wit, love of technology and transparency in his work, friends said, citing his public service and community involvement as one of the most impressive attributes to his character.
“David had somewhat of a unique ability to find the interesting people and build friendships with them,” said former Fort Worth mayor Kenneth Barr, a friend of over five decades who partnered with Chappell in consulting firm BC Collaborations. “His curiosity really drove him forward to promote and even invest in cutting-edge technology opportunities. He always wanted people starting their businesses to start them in Fort Worth. He served on the City Council for years, he was involved in leadership for Fort Worth, he was involved in the state bar association for attorneys.”
Chappell, a University of Texas alumnus, sat as the chair of the board of directors for the state bar of Texas for over 10 years throughout the mid 1980s and ‘90s. He went on to become a member of Fort Worth’s City Council from 1989 through 1993, becoming a strong advocate for economic sustainability.
“David was always a very candid person. He would disclose who he might be working with, why he was interested in any subject matter, etc. and so forth,” said Linda Pavlik, who works in public relations and met the attorney through her work over 30 years ago. “Working as a council member and as an elected official and also for decades representing Fort Worth ISD from a legal perspective, he believed in total transparency and I appreciated that the most.”
His community involvement didn’t stop in the legal realm, as he also became the chair of the board of directors for Medical City Fort Worth in 2019 after serving on the board from 1995 to 2018, and held various other leadership positions around Fort Worth and Texas, including planning the first Investing in Biotech Conference in Tarrant County alongside other professionals at the University of North Texas Health Science Center.
“[My favorite thing about him] from a standpoint of his civic involvement for charities and nonprofits in Fort Worth, and Chappell being on a lot of boards, and active in those boards, is he did not choose to be on boards he did not participate in,” said Eric Fox, who leads government relations for Lockheed Martin. “He did not need the recognition. He did not need the limelight. Everything he got involved in, he was very active in, both financially and physically. The list is long.”
His recent investment was into the McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis, multiple friends said.
“He had a love of that place like no other. He actually bought a house that backs up into the property,” Fox said. “He was on that board and worked really hard to keep it on the cutting edge of exploration and up to date with the latest telescopes.”
Aside from his work in Fort Worth, Chappell was also a friend, husband and father of two children, Paige and Wade.
“Paige, Wade and the extended Chappell family are devastated by the loss of David. He was a lion in his advocacy of education, healthcare, astronomy, innovation and entrepreneurship,” said John M. Pritchett, Chappell’s son-in-law, in a statement on behalf of the family.
“[He was] a valued mentor and trustworthy friend, and a beloved father and grandfather to those who called him Davey. The family is grateful for all the expressions of love as they grieve for their loss.”
This story was originally published November 19, 2021 at 1:28 PM.
