Alma Hefty Chatman

Alma Hefty Chatman, 89, died Thursday March 17, 2022, at Desert View Senior Living in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she had lived since 2011. Until then, she was a lifelong Iowa resident. Alma was born October 7, 1932, to Henry C. and Mildred (Rummens) Hefty. She was raised on the family farm and graduated from Vernon Consolidated High School near Renwick. She received a teaching degree from Eagle Grove Community College and taught in the St. Ansgar school system for over 30 years. She continued her education with a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa, by commuting to Cedar Falls while she was also raising her family and continuing her career. She married Ben F. Chatman on June 28, 1953, in LuVerne and moved to Osage where they lived throughout their marriage and raised their five children. They regularly attended the United Church of Christ in Osage and sang in the choir. She was a member of Mayflower Circle, Easter Star, and PEO. Alma especially liked to use her skills as a fifth-grade teacher to encourage her children to learn about plants, animals, minerals, and other basics about the world in which we live. She also loved vacations with her family visiting Methodist Camp in Clear Lake most years or traveling to see her sisters in Missouri, Texas, and New Mexico and later her children who live, or had lived, in Nevada, Minnesota, Florida, New Mexico, California, and Washington. Alma is survived by three daughters, Silvia (Fred) Thull, Las Vegas, Nevada, Dianna Toscano, Clearwater, Florida, and Jennifer (Mark) Magnuson, Isanti, Minnesota, and a son Ben C. (Doreen) Chatman, Polk City, Iowa, eleven grandchildren, twelve great grandchildren, one great-great grandchild, a brother Ben (Kay) Hefty, a sister Eunice Albright, a sister-in-law Judy Hefty, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, a son James, granddaughter Crystal, brothers Henry (“Short”), J.C. “Bud”, Merril, and Gary, and sisters, Betty and Lela. Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Champions Funeral Home on Friday April 1, 2022. Services will be at the United Church of Christ in Osage on April 2, 2022 at 1 p.m., followed by burial at the Osage Cemetery, and refreshments at the church. Champion Funeral Home 641-732-3706