Wayne Rapp

A life-long tennis player and attorney, Wayne Curtis Rapp died February 3, 2005 from the long-term effects of smoking. He was nearly 82 years of age. He quit at age 50; but the damage was done. Born in Chicago, Illinois on April 16, 1923, Mr. Rapp moved to Hollywood, California as a teenager, playing tennis with many who went on to professional tennis careers. He left the University of Illinois after his freshman year to enlist in the Army Air Corps. After training as a B-17 radio operator he served two tours with the Eighth Army Air Force in England, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and four Oak Leaf Clusters. After WWII he was honorably discharged as a Master Sergeant. On the GI Bill, and while working full time at night, Mr. Rapp finished college at the University of Southern California in 1948. Soon after, he met Phyllis Catherine Rapp, his wife of 25 years, and mother of his four children: Marilyn Rapp Paja (Alan) now of Port Orchard, Washington, Steven H. Rapp, of Birmingham, Alabama, William C. Rapp, of Washington, D.C., and Terry Rapp O'Connell (Robert) of Brisbane, California. After a career in real estate construction and development in 1962, Mr. Rapp moved his family to Hillsboro Oregon where he experimented with organic farming and built custom homes. He firmly believed, and mostly proved, that he could do anything if he had the right "How To" book. In 1971, while his children were still in high school, following a delayed life-long dream, he graduated second in his class from the Northwestern College of Law at Lewis and Clark University in Portland. In Hillsboro during the 1960's and 70's, Wayne and Phyllis Rapp were instrumental in the reconstruction of the public tennis courts located near the Shute Park pool, and spent many hours teaching local children and teens the game of tennis through free clinics. He played tennis avidly, and won many trophies playing both singles and doubles in tournaments throughout the Willamette Valley and Portland. He loved practicing law, and put his life experience to work for his clients. Mr. Rapp relished the opportunity to protect individual freedoms and would talk for hours about how best to approach a trial. In 1975, Wayne Rapp married Janice Tolle Brown. They lived in Hillsboro and Ashland, Oregon during their 27 years of their marriage. Wayne and Jan went on a long-distance bike ride throughout the San Juan Islands that set the mark for their time together. They had a large circle of friends (those who played tennis and shared his love of a microbrew, and hers for knitting and a good book) with whom they shared many good times. Mr. Rapp cared for Jan until her courageous battle with cancer was lost in 2002. After Jan's death, he moved to Port Orchard Washington to be closer to his grandchildren, Kate, Alex and Ian Paja. He spent many hours transporting them to after- school events and encouraging them to fulfill their dreams and promise for the future, and to mind their table manners. His grandchildren loved having Grampa live with them for three years, and thought he was a beacon of wisdom, hope and happiness. We are so glad we spent his 80th birthday with him in Chicago exploring his old neighborhood. We miss him. Dad was unable to fulfill his retirement dream to travel the United State and Mexico playing public parks tennis with anyone who would give him a game. However, he shared his own stories and dreams, as well as his goals for their future to his children and beloved grandchildren. As a family we want to thank the physicians and health care personnel who helped our Dad and Grampa in the hospital. Your care was appreciated. Services will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, any memorial donation may be made to the tennis program at your local park, recreation or school district. He loved the game...