Neil Carleton Sapp
Lieutenant, U.S. Navy

Neil Carleton Sapp was born on 22 November 1939 at Victoria Hospital in Miami, Fl, the son of Alfred E. and Vera Crowson Sapp. He graduated from Miami Edison High School in 1957.

Neil attended the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD, graduating with a degree in Aeronautical and Electrical Engineering in the class of 1962. He served his country proudly for five years as a Navy fighter pilot, attaining the rank of Lieutenant, before returning to Miami to fly for National Airlines. He became a Captain for National and later flew for Pan American and Delta, retiring in 1999.

He was active nationally in the Air Line Pilots Association, holding several offices. While highly regarded in his profession, he was also involved in many other business ventures. Captain Sapp served his community in many ways. He was an active member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church and was the founding President of the U.S. Naval Alumni Association of South Florida and a founder of the U.S. Service Academy Alumni Group. He was also a leader in the Riviera Country Club and the Surf Club and a volunteer for Informed Families and the national Red Ribbon Campaign.

Neil was an anchor for his friends and a mentor to many young people. He was able to set firm rules and clear boundaries and still love unconditionally. He had an exceptional way of making people feel safe. Around him, things were always under control. He shaped the lives of many, including his daughters, Erin and Kerrie, who were the pride of his life. A man of many talents, Neil enjoyed flying, boating, building, reading, and dancing with his wife, Peggy.

Death and Burial

Lieutenant Neil Carleton Sapp died on 3 November 2005 after an unexpected and brief illness. He is inurned at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, MD, in Plot 39-4-L.

He is survived by Peggy, his loving wife of 44 years; by his two daughters, Erin (Mrs. Daniel) Beldy and Kerrie (Mrs. Jeffrey) Lunsford; by a brother, Alfred E. Sapp, Jr., a sister, Sylvia Ellen Sapp, and seven grandchildren.