Robert Cullen Rapp, Jr., 98, of Greensboro, passed away April 10th 2024 peacefully at his home with his family. Bob was born in Thomasville, NC on February 6th, 1926 to the late Eunice Blair Jerome Rapp and the late Robert Cullen Rapp, Sr., and is preceded in death by his brother Walter Jerome Rapp.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Jean Victor Graham Rapp; son, Robert Cullen Rapp III of Greensboro; daughter, Katherine Reston Rapp Wood and her husband, Jon, of Columbia, SC and his precious granddaughters, Adelaide, Adair, and Reston Wood.
Bob was a proud graduate of Woodberry Forest School, Davidson College, and later went on to study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His love and loyalty to each of these schools ran deep.
Bob was a man of faith and a devoted servant leader. He fiercely loved his church and its community. He faithfully served First Presbyterian Church as a deacon, an elder, and was former president of the Young Men’s Bible Class. He dedicated his time as chair of the Property Committee and was steadfast in his work through the church’s historic renovation project. It was through Bob’s insightful benevolence that the “Special Projects Fund” was established to assist necessary expenses for members who might be experiencing difficult times.
Believing in the importance of good and healthy communities, Bob followed in his father’s footsteps as an active Rotarian. He was a lifetime member of Rotary International and was a Paul Harris Fellow.
Bob’s love of work was in the construction and building business. In the late 1960’s he co founded Westminster Company which later became a subsidiary of Weyerhaeuser Co. He went on to establish Arappco Inc. that was later acquired by D.R. Horton Company in the late 90s.
Bob loved the game of tennis, playing well into his golden years, snow skiing, and playing golf. He was a Formula One sports enthusiast and enjoyed vintage car racing on his own at the Virginia International Raceway. His love of Ferraris, in particular, was immeasurable. He served as Treasurer and Vice President of the Ferrari Club of America.
Bob was a dedicated and loyal friend. His friendships were plentiful and spanned across generations. He never missed an opportunity to celebrate and share fellowship. At 98 years he had outlived most of his contemporaries, yet he was still surrounded by generations of friends who loved him dearly. He will be remembered for the many ways he shared his sense of humor – always ready to share a joke from his back pocket.
Bob was an active member of the Greensboro community, exercising generously the importance of giving back. His benevolences and philanthropy were vast and he knew the importance of sharing blessings with others. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a charity of one’s choice in honor of Bob.
Of all Bob’s accomplishments, his greatest point of pride was his family and his three granddaughters.
The family would like to express gratitude for Carolyn Rivers, his long time caretaker and friend, Tonya McCulley, and Authora Care Collective – providing so much peace for Bob and his family. A celebration of his life will be held on Thursday, April 18th at 2:00 p.m. in the sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church, Greensboro, NC. The service will be available via livestream for those who cannot attend at www.fpcgreensboro.org. Following the service, the family will receive friends at Greensboro Country Club, 410 Sunset Drive.