Michael Lappin

LAPPIN, Michael Jay

Michael Jay Lappin was born on September 19, 1969, in Brooklyn, NY, and lost his courageous battle with cancer, surrounded by his husband and family at his home in Brookhaven, GA on November 6, 2020. A private service was held with his immediate family. A larger Memorial Celebration of his remarkable life is planned for December 6, 2020. Michael's life cannot be summed up in any one word. But one that is very important is devotion. He was devoted to his husband, John West, with whom he shared a very happy life for nearly 18 years. He leaves many family members whom he loved dearly and unconditionally: his parents, Alyce Lappin and Steve Jungk, his brother Nathan Lappin, sister-in-law Stacy, their three children Raymond, Olivia and Samuel; his aunts, uncles and cousins in Oregon, Michigan, New York and New Jersey, and the many friends he's made throughout our state, country and world. From his earliest age, Michael always wanted to make things better in the lives of all he helped. As a little boy he always had "a idea". He was more than just a creative thinker. He was self-motivated, determined and worked to literally bring his ideas to life. Michael's devotion carried through to every thing he did. He was instrumental in local community betterment projects. He was active in the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), both in Atlanta and on the national level. He was a volunteer with numerous local groups, including treasurer of SOJOURN (Southern Jewish Resource Network for Gender and Sexual Diversity), and the Buckhead Christian Ministry Budget for Life Program. He was a member of the Leadership DeKalb Class of 2016. As an officer in the LaVista Park Civic Association, he worked tirelessly for several years to help his neighborhood annex into the City of Brookhaven. Michael was a management and operations consulting expert for several years. In 2003, he brought that knowledge to the mortgage consulting business he owned with his husband. Their success together helped drive the legacy he leaves with us. Michael went to The Runnels School, McKinley Middle School, and graduated from Baton Rouge Magnet High School in 1987. He graduated from the Stern School of Business at New York University in 1990 with a degree in marketing and management, and received his MBA from The Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University in 1994. Charitable contributions to honor his legacy of giving and bettering our world may be given to The Human Rights Campaign, Georgia Equality, Fair Fight, The United States Holocaust Museum, Atlanta Humane Society, Atlanta Community Food Bank and Mundito Foundation. May His Memory Be A Blessing.