Fort Worth rancher and owner of more than 250 Dairy Queen franchises dead at 81
Barney Chapman was busy running his many Dairy Queen franchises and helping to maintain his family’s ranches, but he always found opportunities to build friendships and spend time with his family.
Mr. Chapman, 81, died Monday at his ranch north of Clarksville, on the Red River. Mr. Chapman was battling cancer, and was surrounded by his children.
Mr. Chapman developed and built over 250 Dairy Queen franchises in four states and in five countries, but he never missed his children’s school activities or other family gatherings, his daughter Flaminia Chapman recalled.
“When we were little, dad still managed to bake cookies with us and go to our school events. I work, and I have kids; how did he find time to do all of those things,” she said.
Mr. Chapman did not tell many people that he had cancer because he did not want the illness to “define who he was as a person.”
“Dad still jogged and exercised, an he traveled to Italy in November,” she said.
Mr. Chapman was dedicated to his business and ranching interests, but he had a passion for traveling, as well as Italian and Roman history.
He organized countless trips to Italy and to the Holy Land for many, including owners of Dairy Queen franchises, members of Broadway Baptist Church, and the Mennonite community where he opened doors and developed friendships.
Mr. Chapman was born Oct. 19, 1938 in Fort Worth, and his family had deep roots in Texas ranching.
Mr. Chapman’s great-grandfather, Bill, came to Texas after serving in the Confederate cavalry during the Civil War, and bought ranches across the state. He ended up in Deaf Smith County in the panhandle.
At one time, his grandfather owned seven ranches where Mr. Chapman recalled spending his summers.
In Fort Worth, his father, I.B. Chapman Sr. started the Quality Meat & Provision Co, and when Mr. Chapman left Texas Christian University in 1961, he and his brother John ran the company.
He soon discovered that Dairy Queen bought a lot of its beef for its restaurants from his family’s company which led him to the Dairy Queen business in 1963.
At one time, he was the largest holder of International Dairy Queen franchises with 101 restaurants.
Although Mr. Chapman liked farming and ranching, he chose to live in Fort Worth because of his children’s education, his daughter said.
Mr. Chapman’s business interests were important, but he also thrived on making long-lasting friends, Chapman said.
He formed a close bond with the Mennonite community near Clarksville, and toward the end of her father’s life, Chapman recalled how the Mennonites stepped in and did everything from bringing food to taking out the trash. In fact, Mr. Chapman’s funeral will be in the Mennonite Church, she said.
“Everywhere dad went, he created bonds,” Flaminia Chapman said.
Funeral: 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Mennonite Church, 1746 FM 2573, Detroit, TX, with lunch at the fellowship hall.
Graveside memorial: 4 p.m. at the Annetta Cemetery, 2667 West FM 5 Road, followed by a celebration at the Hudson Oaks Dairy Queen, 3205 Fort Worth Highway.
Survivors: Children: I. B. Trey Chapman III; Parrish H. Chapman; Carlo Papini; Roscoe G. Chapman; Flaminia G. Chapman (Cesare Terracina); Giulia G. Chapman (Giampiero Fonte); and Livia G. Melton (Patrick). Grandchildren: Lauren Collins (Eric); Rhiannon Chapman; Isabelle Chapman; Parrish B. Chapman; Alessia J.H. Papini; Hudson Melton; Victoria G. Fonte; Viola G. Fonte; Samuel Terracina; John Terracina; and Giuliana Melton.
This article contains material from the Fort Worth Business Press.
This story was originally published February 18, 2020 at 6:41 PM.