Captain Michael Harry Zapp, age 48, passed away on Monday, October 13th. at his home in Walhalla. Michael was born on February 12, 1960, to parents Leo Harry and JoAnn Morris Zapp in Houston, Texas. He was baptized in the First Baptist Church of Pearland, Texas.
At the age of seventeen he began working in the tow boat industry starting out as a deck hand. By the age of nineteen he had completed training at the Western Rivers School in Port Arthur, Texas where he obtained his US Merchant Mariners Document. He also held a Grade A Tankerman’s Ticket. He was working for Kirby Industries as Captain on the M/V Angelina up until he was disabled.
Michael was preceded in death by his father, Leo H. Zapp; a sister, Michelle Diane Zapp; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Shirley and Jim Sloyan; and nephews, Stephen Clifton, Michael Simonton and Andrew Tapia.
Survivors include his wife of 29 years, Barbara Sloyan Zapp of Walhalla; his mother, JoAnn Morris Zapp of Wallace; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, James and Janice Sloyan of Ledbetter; two sister-in-laws, Patricia Zapp and Sharon Clifton and her husband Randy of Walhalla; aunt and uncle, Shirley and Bill Broze of Brookside and several nieces and nephews also survive.
Visitation is scheduled for Wednesday, October 15, 2008 from 1:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Fayette Memorial Funeral Home. The funeral service is scheduled for Thursday, October 16, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. at the Fayette Memorial Funeral Home Chapel. Dr. Timothy D. Abel will officiate at the service. Interment will be in the Florida Chapel Cemetery near Round Top, Texas.
Memorial contributions may be made to the National Kidney Foundation located at 1919 Oakwell Farms Parkway Suite 135, San Antonio, Texas 78218.