Mr. Jesse James "Jimmy; Homer" Sapp

Mr. Jesse James "Jimmy" Sapp passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, December 9, 2025. He was also known as "Homer" to his family and close friends.

Jimmy was the son of Almetta Sowell and Jesse James Sapp and was born February 5, 1934 in Lancaster, SC where he attended school. He played the trumpet in the Lancaster High School Band and was voted

"Most Likely to Succeed" in his senior class superlatives. Jimmy attended Clemson for several years and left to enlist in the Army where he was based in Hawaii. After his honorable discharge he returned home to work at Springs in the lab with chemicals and dyes.

On December 19, 1959, at a Springs Christmas dance, he met the "girl of my dreams", Shelby Whitman, and they were married on August 28, 1960 for 65 wonderful years. During the first nine years they were blessed with three beautiful daughters, Lisa, Lori and Lynn. Their daughters brought them so much joy and lasting friendships.

Jimmy remained working with textiles, chemicals and dyes which led him to Pfister Chemical and Dye Company, in Charlotte, N.C., which led to the move to Rock Hill, S. C. where he became very active at Oakland Baptist Church and in the community.

Jimmy loved most sports and especially Clemson football. He joined Oakland Baptist Church softball team where he pitched. He was a great tennis player and won several trophies. He and several friends organized and managed the" Come See Me " adult and youth tennis tournaments at Confederate Park.

At the age of 70 he commented he had always wanted a motorcycle and got a red Kawasaki. He loved riding out in the country where there wasn't much traffic. Finally, he realized he should have bought one when younger.

Jimmy loved most all kinds of music, but smooth jazz was his favorite. He loved getting the right sound and started tinkering with car radios and speakers. The youth at Oakland Baptist Church found out about it and some of the young boys with cars would ask him to put in good sounding speakers for them. He enjoyed making them happy.

He served as a deacon at Oakland Baptist Church. He taught 7 th and 8 th grade Sunday School classes on Sunday morning and volunteered with the youth Koinonia on Sunday nights for many years. He also served as Sunday School secretary for a number of years and worked the sound booth (a natural) during church service on Sunday. Jimmy went on Youth retreats and mission trips. He would assist driving the Blue Goose church bus. That was a real treat.

While working a regular job he took Real Estate classes, passed them and sold lots at Tega Cay as it was developed.

Jimmy retired from Pfister Chemical and Dye Company in 1998. He volunteered at Hope for a number of years and volunteered at church on Monday mornings, where needed. He continued working on car radios after retiring and some of his friends encouraged him to start his own Car Radio Service and charge for the service which became a business. He made friends with many car dealerships and was successful.

Family meant so much to him, as did his church. There was a turn-around flight from Charlotte to Richmond and Jimmy would fly to Richmond and pick up one of the grandchildren on Friday and bring them to Rock Hill for the weekend. He would fly them back to Richmond on Sunday.

Although he was not a beach lover, he would take the family on a week's vacation to the beach every summer. He was very witty and kept the girls, grandchildren, friends and family laughing. He was so much fun to be around. He was a very positive person.

Jimmy is preceded in death by his parents, three sisters, Billie, Betty, and JoAnn, and son-in-law, Joe Tauchen. He is survived by his wife, Shelby W. Sapp, and daughters: Lisa Granger , of Richmond, VA, Lori Sapp, of Rock Hill, and "Peg" Lynn Tauchen, of Mechanicville, VA, grandchildren: Scott Granger (Peter) of Severn, Maryland, Jesse Izquierdo (Julian) of Austin, TX, Erin G. Hurd (Stephen) of Richmond, VA., Liam Genier and Annie Tauchen of Mechanicville, VA, and great-granddaughter, Julia Izquierdo of Austin, TX, brother Ray H. Sapp (Linda) of Lancaster, SC and many more family members.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held Saturday, January 10, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at Oakland Baptist Church, 1067 Oakland Avenue, Rock Hill, SC 29732. Visitation will follow the service in the gym.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Oakland Baptist Church, or Project Hope, 504 Oakland Avenue, Rock Hill, SC 29730, or Oakland Baptist Ministry Center, 1067 Oakland Avenue, Rock Hill, SC 29732, or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital at www.stjude.org.

Condolences can be made at www.greenefuneralhome.net.