Robinson Lapp: A Celebration of Life
Friends:
As you may know, Robb Lapp, our beloved Board Chair and Co-founder of Archway, passed away last Friday. Robb had surgery on Tuesday (May 3rd) to repair his shoulder which he had badly injured in a fall a few months ago. While the shoulder repair went well, he experienced post-surgery complications and succumbed to them on Friday, May 6th.
In his book, Listening for the Holy, Robb contemplated his life and his relationship to God in this way:
This blessing comes from God. My life’s deal with the Holy has been “Robb, if you seek to love the most unlovable, live with courage, do justice, walk humbly, and, if you die while seeking to do what the Holy is whispering, my benediction for you will be: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’”
We can say without reservation that the Lord would be most pleased with Robb!
In the short time I knew Robb, I came to truly love him. He was a friend, a mentor and boss unlike any other I have ever had. The more I got to know him, the more authentic and deeply wonderful he revealed himself to be. Though he was proud of his life’s accomplishments, he wasn’t at all boastful. More than anything, he seemed grateful for having had the opportunities he had to serve. Today, though I am sad beyond words at his passing, more than anything, I’m grateful that I had the chance to get to know him, to learn from him and to laugh and work closely with him for the past two and a half years
Robb lived his life full of passion for social justice. While he started and led two Denver area congregations, as a person of faith he believed that his actions in service of the disenfranchised were much more important than religious beliefs.
Robb understood that democracy in America didn’t work very well for the poor and disenfranchised. And so he sought to make life better for the marginalized members of our society. Robb’s partner in life and ministry, Janet Wallace Lapp, preceded him in death on September 19, 2018, having shared 63 years together. A social worker, she shared Robb’s passion for caring for others. They are survived by three children, Robyn Lapp, Stuart (Eve) Lapp, and Karen (Joel) Ronzheimer, six grandchildren, and three great grandchildren.
A memorial service is being planned for early June; details will be shared as they become available. In the meantime, on behalf of the Archway family, my warmest wishes to you all as we celebrate Robb and strive to honor his legacy by serving the members of our community who need safe and affordable housing and the related services to help them live with security and dignity. That would make Robb smile and I hope it would make him proud of all of us.
Sebastian Corradino
