David Lee Delapp

David L. DeLapp died December 25, 2022 at the Salem Hospital. There was not a specific diagnosis for his death. He was 94 years old. He is survived by his second wife Patricia DeLapp, his children Vanessa, Mark and Jay from his first marriage to Barbara DeLapp, deceased. He is also survived by his grandchildren Eric, Meagan, Andreya and Nick and numerous nephews, nieces and their offspring. David was the youngest and last to go of the seven children of Mathew and Bertha DeLapp.

David was born and lived his entire life in Salem, Oregon and several surrounding towns. He was a farmer at heart; though not necessarily a good one. He graduated from Eola Elementary School (Valedictorian he would say) and Salem High School. He grew up on farms in the communities around Salem; lived his adult and business life and raised his family in Salem and then he and Pat lived their retirement years in the home they built on the Santiam River in Lyons.

He was DeLapp Real Estate for 40 years in Salem representing many people buying, selling and trading houses, farms and investment properties. In the middle of his career, he built a couple duplexes, developed a few subdivisions and a mobile home park in Keizer. When the needs of his community dictated, he became the PTA President of Hayesville Elementary School. As such, he lead the development of the school’s unused 5 acres into a playground, park and baseball field for the school and community. He saw a need for small real estate firms to band together for marketing advantages to compete with the big firms, so he created the Independent Brokers Association. He and a couple of other parents formed the Pioneer Little League – the first Little League Baseball organization in Salem. In his final years he created a scholarship fund to help high school kids in the North Santiam School District attend trade schools and college. He would also like it noted that he was an author and a fisherman. He did a lot writing over the years and in retirement he wrote and published his book “Chips”. He was always planning fishing trips on local lakes, rivers and seaports and various villages in Alaska.

Dave DeLapp, was a problem solver and a doer; he got things done. His legacy is of father, grandfather and elder of a large and successful extended family and the many other people who have benefited from his professional and personal care.

A visitation for David will be held Friday, January 20, 2023 from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Howell-Edwards-Doerksen with Rigdon-Ransom Funeral Directors, 1350 Commercial Street SE, Salem, Oregon 97302; it is open to all. He will be laid to rest at Belcrest Memorial Park.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hed-fh.com for the Delapp family.