Wheeling, West Virginia Picture taken from Wheeling Island Chap was born to Harry Chapman and Anna Mae Holbert on December 16, 1947. Four years later a sister Becky was born. Chap was baptized at First English Lutheran Church where my family attended and Dad taught the youth Sunday School. As a young child Chap attended Bethlehem Elementary School a two room schoolhouse then onto Bridgestreet school, and then Linsly Military Institue for two years. After attending Linsly Chap deciding he wanted to go into the art field and attended Wheeling High school for his remaining high school years where he was the school photographer and graduated in 1967. Working as a photographer for the Wheeling Intelligencer out of high school it was at this time that he started Chaps Photography . Chap then attended West Liberty State College (now University) where his love for photography lead him to work as one of the Colleges photographers. Chap graduated from West Liberty with a B.S. degree and went to work as the assistant art director of WTRF-TV until 1976. Then in 1976 Chap began a new journey as Director of Audio Visuals and Chief of Medical Photography for Ohio Valley Medical Center in Wheeling Wv. There his duties were to support photographically the 8 residency programs and the school of nursing. All still working also in my own business Chaps Photography. After about 18 years OVMC eliminated the residency programs and no longer needed the department which Chap headed. It was then that he stepped in Chaps full time. Chap was also a teacher at Belmont Technical School for two years in St. Clairsville, Ohio were he taught evidence photography at Belmont Technical School along with teaching basic photography and intermediate photography at the Art School of Wheeling for three years. It was here that Chap developed a strong school photography clientele for the past 19 years Chap has doing the photography for 8 schools in two counties. Over the years Chap has created thousands of portraits for individuals, families and companies along with hundreds of weddings in the USA and Canada. Among Chap's many achievments are those of being selected to do photography for three Governors of the State of West Virginia, and several Senators and other legislatures. Chap has also had work work published in American Medical Journal, Muzzelblast Magazine, Hand Clinic of North America, and done extensive product photography for many menus and catalogues. Chap served in the 99th ARCOM as the information specialist and photographer where he documented construction projects from the air and on the ground. Chap was also responsible for the PR photos of the visiting General. As a family man, and community leader Chap has served over the years as president of PTAs, Park director for Bethlehem Park, and later as treasure of the Park. Chap is also a Christian and involved in his local church where he has prepared and conducted several worship services, also served as councilman and president of a church council, and he is presently teaching adult Sunday School at Zion Lutheran Church in Bethlehem. The Holbert Family....A tradition of service to the community
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