Who was Chock Chapple's fiance? 'The Golden Bachelorette' suitor opens up about tragic loss
WICHITA, KANSAS: 'The Golden Bachelorette' contestant Chock Chapple instantly won over fans the moment he stepped out of the limousine. He was chosen for the season's first one-on-one date on Wednesday, September 25, where he opened up about the loss of his ex-fiancée to a brain tumor.
Joan Vassos and Chock enjoyed a fun-filled day at Disneyland. During their time together, Chock shared the heartbreaking story of his partner, Katherine Elizabeth "Kathy" Goree, and her untimely death, as they engaged in a heartfelt conversation about family. After openly discussing love and loss during dinner, he was ultimately awarded the rose.
'The Golden Bachelorette' star Chock Chapple's ex-fiance was a mother of 2
Kathy was 52 years old when she died. She is survived by two children, Charles Thomas Goree and Addison Gray Goree. She is also survived by her parents, Thomas White Sr and his wife Teresa, and Sharon White Gruber and her husband, J Richard Gruber. Other survivors include her brothers, Thomas White, Jr and Andrew White, as well as his husband, Robert Walden, and her fiancé, Chock.
She loved her friends and often expressed her gratitude for having so many close friends with whom she could laugh and chat for the rest of her life. Kathy was born on March 26, 1970, in Wichita, Kansas. She graduated from Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School and also attended Collegiate School.
She graduated from Kansas City's Rockhurst University and also attended the University of Kansas. Furthermore, she expressed how much she loved and enjoyed working alongside her father every day in her role as Vice President at White and Ellis Drilling, Inc.
Kathy attended every basketball, football, and volleyball game, proudly celebrating her children's many accomplishments. Along with her passion for youth sports teams, Kathy was an avid supporter of KU basketball and enjoyed visiting the team's home games around the nation with many of her close friends. She loved traveling and often reminisced about each special trip through her vivid descriptions and stories. Many of those adventures included her siblings and parents.
'The Golden Bachelorette' star Chock Chapple paid tribute to ex-fiance
After his divorce from his wife, Chock proposed to Kathy. Tragically, in October 2022, she died of brain cancer.
At the time, Chock expressed on Facebook, "Kathy was an absolute [sic] incredible mother, sister, daughter and better-half. Super K was full of love, she lost her battle to cancer while never complaining nor having any regrets. Kathy’s love for her family, friends and furry friends was 2nd to none. She loved sports, especially KU basketball, as well as her kids games for the past 15+ years. Kathy very rarely missed one of Charlie’s or Addie’s game and would often turn the TV off if KU was behind at half-time- the stress of a potential KU loss was simply too much to for her to take.”
He added, “Kathy was the rock of her family, I lost a great friend and our community lost one of it’s best kept secrets. Kathy’s friends will always be near and dear to her. They truly enjoyed each other and always had stories of fun and adventure. A special sincere thanks to those who cared for Kathy these past five months, and I apologize in advance if I omit anyone; Crystal, Susan, Sharon, Sonja, Silvia, Tom Jr, Tom Sr, Nikki, Kristy, Addie and Charlie.”
Who was 'The Golden Bachelorette' star Chock Chapple married to?
Chock was previously married to Heather Chapple, although the exact date of their divorce remains unclear. She did, however, assist him in founding CIG Insurance in 2003 and appears to have remained connected to the company by 2008. Heather has since remarried Mike Sharpe and now goes by Heather Gillingham-Sharpe. She is a senior vice president at NFP Insurance Company and resides in Washington.
'The Golden Bachelorette' airs every Wednesday on ABC at 8 PM ET