Jerry Don Sapp

Jerry Don Sapp

Prairieville, TX

Jerry Don Sapp was born at home in Prairieville, Texas, on December 2, 1944. He was the fifth of six children born to Thomas Henry and Edith Sapp. He grew up in a very loving family of modest means. His father was a farmer and his mother was a lifelong homemaker. He was baptized at the Prairieville Baptist Church, a place of worship that his father helped build.

Jerry attended school in Mabank, Texas. He was a good student and very involved in Future Farmers of America, winning awards and scholarships along the way. He graduated from Mabank High School in 1963 and remains much loved by many of his classmates.

After graduation, he worked a few odd jobs before finally deciding to join the U.S. Air Force in August 1964. Jerry was an Environmental Systems mechanic for the F-4 Phantom and B-52 Bomber aircraft. He served at Ubon, Thailand during the Vietnam War. In 1974, he was accepted for cross-training to be a C-130 Flight Engineer for the remaining 17 years of his distinguished career. He moved up in rank to eventually attain Chief Master Sergeant before retiring in 1992 with 27 years of dedicated service. His favorite thing about his military career was mentoring his subordinates and seeing them succeed. After Jerry's retirement from the military, he continued civilian service working for Hughes Flight Simulator as an instructor, for departments within the State of Texas, and for U.S. Homeland Security as an Immigration Officer.

Jerry met Kathy in January 1966 in Abilene, Texas. They married the following July and enjoyed 52 wonderful years together. Their union was blessed with three daughters and six grandchildren. In addition to Jerry's military adventures around the world, he and Kathy especially enjoyed traveling together. Jerry has been to 37 foreign countries, all 50 U.S. states, and all seven continents.

Last spring, Jerry was diagnosed with cancer. Thanks to treatment, his enjoyed six wonderful months with family and friends. On the morning of October 31, 2018, he passed peacefully from this life surrounded by his family.

Jerry was preceded in death by his father Thomas Henry Sapp, mother Edith Sapp Webster, stepfather Lonnie Webster, brothers Sonny and Mack Sapp, sisters Alene Smith and Ruth Robertson. He is survived by his wife Kathy, daughter Jerri McConnell and husband Jim of Stafford, Virginia, daughter Tara Sapp of Mabank, Texas, and daughter Edith Alderson and husband Brian of Leonard, Texas, four grandsons Jordan, Evan and Jake Ligon, and Leland Alderson, and two granddaughters Skyler and Sophia Alderson, and one sister Deborah Franklin of Mabank, Texas. He is also survived by a multitude of brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews, cousins, and friends.

In lieu of flowers memorial may be made in Jerry's name to The Wounded Warrior Project or Heroes on the Water - Brazos River Valley Chapter, P.O. Box 2222, Granbury TX 76048