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- Eldon Farris Chaplin, 81, formerly of Olney, died 20 Nov 2014 at Santo Antonio Hospital, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, South America.
Memorial services will be held from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, August 2, at the American Legion, 227 E. Main St. in Olney with full military rites accorded. A veteran grave marker will be placed in Crest Haven Cemetery.
Mr. Chaplin was born 12 Feb 1933 in Olney, the son of Russell J. and Ida M. (Heap) Chaplin. He married Aurea de Souza on 14 Jun 2012 in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, South America.
Eldon served in the U.S. Air Force from 25 Jan 1954 - 5 Oct 1957 as an Aircraft Propeller Mechanic and Tech Instructor. He further served with the 41st Troop Carrier Squadron in Manhattan Beach Air Force Station, Brooklyn, New York.
Eldon worked more than 64 years away from home. Some employments and residences were: Clinton Welding Supply in Decatur, IL, and Bettendorf, IA, and Bugo Systems at Durango, CO. While living in Durango, CO, he was involved in construction on the Arizona Hopi Indian Reservation and was required to smoke a peace pipe with the chief of the tribe. Later he was involved in construction of an atomic power plant at Farmington, NM, and enjoyed big-game hunting before moving to Tempe, AZ.
In Nov. 1985, Eldon had a heart attack and became acquainted with Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, AZ. At that time his mother was wintering in Chandler, AZ. A Yuma, AZ, prison was the next employment before moving to San Marcos, CA, to work on construction of a shopping mall. In 1992, he retired to the Denver, CO, area and worked for Payless Cashways, Inc. Here he took up bicycling and camping. In 2003, he moved to Brazil, South America, where he bought a cattle farm, upgraded it and sold it, no longer able to get on his horse because of his knees. He lived on the beach for a couple of years before buying the third floor of a residential building.
One knee became infected and Eldon was in ill health his last year. His faithful wife Aurea never left his side. In the same hospital as Eldon was Aurea's mother who had cancer; Aurea also took care of her until her death 30 March 2015, thus the delay with getting Eldon's translated death certificate through the U.S. Consular Agency.
Eldon always provided his parents and sister with phone numbers and addresses where he could be reached, even when outside the U.S. on business trips.
In December 2008, Eldon visited his sister and family in Chandler, AZ, Denver, CO, and Granite City, IL. He requested asparagus , celery, and TV dinners. He also attended the 60th reunion of the "Class of 1950" in Olney during the October 2010 festival. In July 2011, he surprised his sister Fay on her 80th birthday.
He is survived by his wife Aurea Chaplin and step-son Andre Luiz of Brazil, South America; one sister Fay E. (Lloyd) Ault of Olney; sister-in-law Ella Mae Thompson of Holland, PA; several first cousins; niece Lisa Ault; and, several other nieces and nephews.
Eldon was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Raymond and Clyde.
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