Richard Alan Chafin of 5310 S. County Road 800 W, Putnam County, Reelsville Indiana, passed away December 2, 2024.

Richard was born October 31, 1935 in Columbus, Bartholomew County, Indiana. He is the son of James Lewis Chafin and Bernice Marie Chafin (Krueger).

Richard’s Father, James L Chafin previously lived in Brown County Indiana, where his parents, James T Chafin and Lucy B Chafin (Roberts) owned and worked a farm in the area that is now Brown County State Park. James T Chafin died in 1917, leaving Lucy as the Head of Family. Lucy moved her family from their farm in Brown County to Columbus Indiana because the condition of the farmland deteriorated to the point that it no longer produced crops.

At the onset of The Great Depression, she moved her family to Benton County Indiana to work a farm, where Richard’s parents James L Chafin and Bernice M Krueger met and married in 1932.

Richard’s parents moved from Benton County to Columbus in 1934, and Richard was born there in 1935. Between 1935-40 James and Bernice moved back to Benton County to work a farm, and that is where Richard was raised, went to school, learned to farm, earned his degree, married his first wife Cledith, and their three children were born.

Richard was the only member of his family to obtain a college degree. He worked as a signalman for the railroad to put himself through college. After graduation, Richard entered into a few family owned businesses with his Father. Richard was a self-taught Gunsmith and enjoyed firearms immensely. He was an Outdoorsman and enjoyed hunting and fishing. He entered the real estate business with his wife Mary, where they were very successful. The couple traded up properties to obtain the land in Putnam County that they both enjoyed until their end of days. Richard is from a long line of European Chafin ancestors and is a descendant of Mayflower Pilgrims John and Priscilla Alden.

Honoring his prearranged wish Richard was cremated and his ashes buried on his property.

Preceding Richard in death were both parents, his only brother Thomas Raymond Chafin, his only sister Lois Ann Lange (Chafin), and his wife Mary Helen Chafin (Cline).

His three children Tim, David, and Gayle succeed Richard in life.

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