On a hot July afternoon in Coffeyville, Kan., you would see David Sapp pedaling his bike down the streets, delivering the Coffeyville newspaper to the city’s many residents. This was only the beginning of many jobs for Mr. Sapp involving a lot of hard work (as well as blood, sweat, and tears).
Mr. Sapp passed away on March 24 after suffering health issues for many years.
He was born on Aug. 25, 1949, in Jefferson City, Mo., where his family lived until his father took a job in Coffeyville as an optician. He attended elementary school in Coffeyville and graduated from high school. He then attended Coffeyville Community Junior College, where he was nominated as the city’s community ambassador to Spain, where he spent one summer. After he returned from Spain, Mr. Sapp attended college at the University of Kansas, where he would graduate with honors in 1972.
Little did his family know at the time that Mr. Sapp would climb the corporate executive ladder at Pizza Hut Inc., which provided him the opportunity to work in such places as London, Curacao, Guatemala, and the Caribbean. His job took him to many wonderful places but also put many years of very hard work on his body. He loved using the multiple languages he learned, especially Spanish.
After leaving Pizza Hut, he moved to Greenville, S.C., where he opened his own restaurant, known as Currant Thymes. In 2004, Mr. Sapp went to work in Knoxville for Food Donation Connection, whose mission is to redistribute food left over from various restaurants around the country and around the world to local food banks and other charities that provide food to the needy. Mr. Sapp was pleased to have been given a job with this faith-based organization that was started by another former Pizza Hut employee and his wife.
Mr. Sapp had a big heart and shared his love with others by providing for friends and family in a most generous manner. It is not surprising that his final job would be working for a company that provided for the needs of others.
Mr. Sapp was preceded in death by his mother and father, Rita and Edwin Sapp Sr.; a brother-in-law, Ralph Hunter; and a nephew, Jeff Hunter. He is survived by a brother, Ed Sapp Jr.; and three sisters, Janet Hunter of Augusta, Kan.; Helen Blake (Roger) of Ponca City, Okla.; and Lynn Sapp of Dallas. He also is survived by 11 nieces and nephews, 22 great-nieces and -nephews, and three great-great-nieces and -nephew. He also is survived by eight cousins.
In his younger years, Mr. Sapp was a member of the First Baptist Church in Coffeyville. After moving to Tennessee, he joined the Catholic Church and was a member of St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut.
A funeral Mass for Mr. Sapp was celebrated on April 15 at St. John Neumann Church. An inurnment service was held at Restlawn Cemetery in Coffeyville, where he was laid to rest next to his mother’s and father’s graves.
Mr. Sapp was dearly loved by his family as well as the many friends he touched during his lifetime. Donations in Mr. Sapp’s memory may be made to the American Diabetes Association.
