Gerald Arthur Schlapper

Dr. Gerald Arthur Schlapper passed away peacefully on October 16, 2025, surrounded by his family. Gerry’s life was marked by his selfless nature, generosity, and love for his family and country. To many he was a proud soldier, professor, mentor, or friend. He was also a son, brother, husband, father, and most of all, PaPa.

Gerry was born on November 25, 1945, to Arthur and Ella Schlapper in Boonville, Missouri. He attended the University of Missouri (Mizzou) and was a member of the Army ROTC. He enlisted in the US Army in 1968 and continued to pursue his education at Mizzou, where he eventually met his wife, Nancy. He credited Nancy with always being patient and there for him throughout college, the Army, his career, and children. They were married on June 7, 1969, in Sikeston, Missouri, and remained in Columbia, Missouri, until he graduated with his Ph.D. in Nuclear and Radiological Engineering in 1977. He and Nancy had two daughters, Marcia Anne and Beth Annette, both born in Columbia, Missouri.

Following graduation, Gerry became a licensed senior reactor operator and professor at Mizzou and then moved to Texas A&M in 1981. He jokingly referred to his students as “Gerry’s kids,” but every student was truly like an extra kid to him, and he did his best to keep up with where they went after graduation. In 1991, the family moved to Los Alamos, New Mexico, so he could pursue various management positions at Los Alamos National Laboratory. In 2001, he joined the National Nuclear Security Administration under the Department of Energy as the Senior Technical Safety Manager.

Throughout his career, Gerry remained a proud soldier and served the Army in a combination of active duty and reserve assignments that included serving as a medic, deploying for the Gulf War, and completing special assignments for the Army Reactor Command. Following a military career that spanned more than 30 years, he retired as a Colonel, earning both the Army Commendation and Legion of Merit medals.

In 2006, his first grandson, Ryan, was born in Mansfield, Texas. Gerry and Nancy purchased a home near Beth, and Nancy retired from nursing to take the role of MiMi. Gerry visited often, but he was not quite ready to retire. He did not want to miss out on his grandkids, so he took a “retirement” position with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2008 when his second grandson, Kyle, was born. He continued working at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission until his full retirement in 2017.

Gerry found great joy in spending time with his friends, family (especially his grandkids), and his pets. His legacy and memory will be carried on by everyone fortunate enough to know him, but especially his beloved wife of 56 years, Nancy; his daughter, Beth Schlapper Alferink (Steven); grandchildren (Ryan and Kyle); and many cousins, nieces, and nephews that he loved very much.

Gerry is preceded in death by his daughter, Marcia Anne Schlapper; his parents, Arthur and Ella Schlapper; his brother, James “Jim” Fredrick Schlapper; and his maternal and paternal grandparents.

The void left by Gerry’s departure is felt deeply by all that knew him, yet we take comfort in knowing that his life was a well-lived life full of love and laughter, the pride and honor of a soldier, and the selfless giving of himself to all those he encountered.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to DFW Rescue Me (https://www.dfwrescueme.org/donate.html) or the Home, Not Alone program at Don’t Forget to Feed Me (https://dontforgettofeedme.org/donate/). He loved pets, and keeping seniors home with their pets was a cause that was near and dear to him.

A memorial service will be held on November 23, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at Blessing Funeral Home 401 Elm St., Mansfield, Texas 76063, followed by a celebration of his life.