Samuel Nelson Lapp

Sam was born in West Liberty, Ohio on August 30, 1938, to the late Boyd Andrew and Ruth Esther Lapp. He graduated from Salem High School in Kingscreek, Ohio in 1956 where he lettered in baseball, basketball, and track. He also played the trumpet in the high school orchestra. After high school, he attended Goshen College in Indiana where he played baseball for one year. In 1962, Sam transferred to Ohio State University, where he studied Agricultural Economics. While at Ohio State, he sang in the choir and was a member of Alpha Gamma Sigma fraternity. He graduated from Ohio State in 1964 and went to work for Continental Grain in Fort Worth, Texas.

While working at Continental Grain he met the love of his life, Linda Gail Hamby. After several months of courtship, they married in October 1965. Together they had 3 children, Jeffrey Dean Lapp, James Boyd Lapp, and Douglas Wayne Lapp. Early in their marriage, Sam and Gail lived in many places including Ft. Worth, TX, Aberdeen, SD, Toledo, OH, and Virginia Beach, VA. They became longtime residents of Irving, TX in 1969 where they raised their boys. While in Irving, they became dedicated members of Plymouth Park United Methodist Church where Sam, Gail and their three boys developed lifelong friendships. In 2004, Sam and Gail moved to Crowley, TX before settling again in Grapevine, TX in 2014. While in Grapevine they became members of White’s Chapel United Methodist Church in Southlake.

Sam had a successful career as a commodity broker at various firms in DFW which included Continental Grain, Shearson, Smith Barney and Merrill Lynch before retiring in 2006. While working at Shearson he was the Chairman of the President’s Council from 1979 to 1980. During his time at Smith Barney, he became a member of a fishing club called ‘Little One’. This enabled him to go on multiple deep-sea fishing expeditions which took him to Senegal, Panama, Cost Rica, Guatemala, and the Gulf of Mexico. Sam enjoyed playing softball, tennis, fishing and playing cards with his friends and family. He was an avid sports fan who loved watching the Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys.

Sam will be missed by so many family members and loved ones especially his sons Jeff and Doug Lapp, his grandchildren: Jessica Lapp, Jordan Lapp, Chloe Lapp, Hudson Lapp, and Abigail Lapp; and great-grandchild Peyton Lloyd. He will also be missed by his siblings Joseph Andrew Lapp, Sara Jane Janzen, and Stephen Boyd Lapp.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife Gail Lapp, his son Jim Lapp, his sisters Esther Lois Kirkendall and Carol Joy Graber, and his brothers John Philip Lapp, and David Levi Lapp.

Sam loved his extended family and dear friends very much and was generous and compassionate with his time and gifts. He was a devoted husband and father who was always present to care for his family.