Thomas H. Chapman

OBITUARY

Tom Chapman was born in San Diego, California, the son of Thomas R. Chapman and Maja Amalia (Huss) Chapman. He grew up in La Mesa and graduated from Grossmont High School.

Tom served in the Navy during the Korean Conflict and was stationed on Guam for two years. He graduated in 1958 from San Diego State University, with a degree in Civil Engineering. While at San Diego State, he met his future wife, Rubie Eileen Blevins. They were married in La Mesa in 1950, beginning a marriage of 73 years, during which they lived primarily in San Diego County including La Mesa, Coronado Cays, and Downtown San Diego. They had two children, Thomas Joseph (deceased) and Nancy Eileen (Bedell), plus five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Tom and Rubie enjoyed travelling, especially to Sweden to visit Tom’s mother’s relatives.

After graduating from college, Tom worked as a Civil Engineer in the San Diego area for over 50 years, serving as the founder and president of Testing Engineers – San Diego among other roles.

Throughout his life, Tom had a great love affair with the outdoors. was an avid runner who completed three New York City Marathons as well as many other races. He loved saltwater fishing and sailing. He also enjoyed duck hunting. For many years, Tom and Rubie owned a second home at Lake Cuyamaca where Tom was a longtime member of the Board of Directors that governs the operation of the lake.

Tom passed away on October 20, 2025 in San Diego. He was preceded in death by his wife, Rubie, his son Thomas J. Chapman, and his sister Barbara. He is survived by his daughter, Nancy (Bedell), daughter-in-law Toni Chapman, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and a great many friends, all of whom will miss him dearly.

A memorial service will be held at Miramar National Cemetery on Wednesday, December 17 at 11:00 AM. It is suggested that those attending arrive early.

In lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Chapman Family Fund through the San Diego Foundation. Donations can be made by check payable to the San Diego Foundation, notating Fund #7859 in the memo line. Checks can be mailed to: San Diego Foundation / Attn: Donations / 2508 Historic Decatur Rd. Ste 200 San Diego, CA 92106. Donations can also be made by debit/credit card by calling the San Diego Foundation at 619-814-1332.

The city of San Diego is poised to approve one of the nation’s largest settlements in a police-related killing, weighing a $30 million settlement to the family of Konoa Wilson, a 16-year-old Black boy who was fatally shot by a San Diego police officer in January.

Newsweek has reached out to the San Diego Attorney’s office and the Wilson’s family attorney for comment via email on Saturday.

Why It Matters

Police violence and racial tensions have been major issues in the U.S. for years, fueling mass movements for police reform. Protests surged after the killing of George Floyd in 2020, driven by Black Lives Matter (BLM) demonstrations and renewed calls to shift funding away from law enforcement.

In 2021, Minneapolis approved a record $27 million civil settlement with Floyd’s family after he died when a police officer pinned him to the ground and pressed a knee on his neck.

According to Mapping Police Violence, a nonprofit aggregating data, “police have killed at least 1,079 people in 2025.”  

What To Know

In June, Wilson’s parents sued the city of San Diego and police officer Daniel Gold in connection to their son’s death six months earlier. The family says Wilson was fleeing gunshots fired at him from someone else when he encountered Gold who shot the boy twice in the back. The teen was pronounced dead at the University of California San Diego Health Medical Center nearly an hour later.

Authorities released body camera video of the January 28 shooting that shows Wilson running through a corridor after someone pulled a gun on him. The footage shows Wilson emerging at close range as Gold moved toward the corridor. Gold then fired on Wilson, later saying “San Diego Police.” The family argues in their lawsuit that Gold “instantly, without any warning” fired on the teenager.

In a video compilation of the footage posted on Facebook in February, the police department wrote, “When officers began providing medical aid, a firearm was located concealed under clothing in the juvenile’s right thigh area.”

Gold was in the area due to an unrelated nearby call, the lawsuit and San Diego Sheriff’s Office stated. At the time of the shooting, Gold had been with the force for two years.

A resolution authorizing the $30 million to Wilson’s family has been added to the city council agenda for Tuesday, the Associated Press reported, which also noted the money would be paid from the Public Liability Fund.

What People Are Saying

Nick Rowley, the Wilson family attorney, said in a statement to City News Service on Friday: “What happened to Konoa was a catastrophic failure of policing. A 16-year-old boy was running for his life. He was not a threat and not a suspect, yet he was shot in the back by a police officer who only saw him for one second before deciding to pull the trigger.”

The San Diego Sheriff’s Office said in a late January press release: “The investigation and review process for officer-involved shootings are extremely thorough. When the Homicide Unit completes its investigation, it will be reviewed by the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office to determine if the officers bear any criminal liability for their actions. The San Diego Police Department will conduct an administrative investigation into the officer’s discharge of his firearm.”

What Happens Next?

The city council is expected to authorize the money on Tuesday.

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The City of San Diego has agreed to pay the family of Konoa Wilson, a 16-year-old boy who was fatally shot by a police officer in January, $30 million, which is reportedly one of the largest settlements in a police killing case in U.S. history, according to an article published in the New York Times.

The decision stems from an incident on Jan. 28 in downtown San Diego on Kettner Boulevard, when San Diego Police Officer Daniel Gold shot Wilson while the teen was reportedly running from a separate shooting incident.

Body-camera footage released in February from the San Diego Police Department shows the incident unfold. The footage shows Wilson at the Santa Fe Depot Transit station on Jan. 28. When Wilson reaches the train platform, a confrontation reportedly begins between the 16-year-old and two other people.

During the confrontation, one of the individuals began firing shots at Wilson as he fled from the confrontation. Meanwhile, Officer Gold was nearby and reportedly responded to the gunfire and ran towards the Santa Fe Depot corridor, according to SDPD.

Officer Gold reportedly arrives at the corridor entrance at the same time as Wilson, who was running from the gunfire. When Gold sees Wilson running from the corridor, he shoots the teen.

According to SDPD, when officers began performing medical aid on Wilson, they discovered a firearm concealed under the teen’s clothing by his right thigh.

Wilson was eventually transported to the hospital, where he later died.

According to SDPD, detectives identified the suspect in the initial shooting and arrested him on Feb. 6. The shooter was identified as a 16-year-old juvenile.

According to the New York Times article, the settlement is one of the largest in a police killing, surpassing the $27 million paid to the family of George Floyd.

The San Diego City Council will formally consider the settlement on Tuesday