Teacher loses his battle with cancer

Veronica Duran

COSTA MESA -- There’s a void in the carpool group Richard Rapp started 25

years ago from Orange County to Towne Avenue Elementary School in Carson.

Rapp, 53, who taught at the school for 32 years, lost his nine-month

battle with cancer at 6 a.m. March 9 at his home in Costa Mesa. A

memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday in the main sanctuary

at Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, 3800 S. Fairview Blvd. in Santa Ana.

Now his carpool mates -- fellow teachers Joy Ferguson, Jeri Goldsbrough

and Criss Kiefer -- will ride without him.

“When I saw him this past Friday, he was very calm,” Ferguson said. “Not

one bitter word came out of his mouth. His wish was to make sure the

children and staff were safe at school. This was his primary concern.”

Rapp also leaves behind scores of bereaved co-workers and students, such

as Tony Corrado, 11, who described Rapp as the friend he never had.

“My brother was in his class,” Corrado recalled. “I’ve been here since

kindergarten. One time I fell and he asked, ‘Are you all right?’ I said

yes. That’s how we became friends. It’s sad that he died, but now he’s

with God.”

Teacher Jim Skefich taught in the classroom next to Rapp’s.

“I’ve worked with him for 30 years,” Skefich said. “I remember his

loyalty as a teacher and a friend. Normally, he was always concerned

about the other person. His memory will never be forgotten.”

Rapp, who taught third grade, was diagnosed with an unusually aggressive

form of prostate cancer in June. He had been on leave since October.

Tears welled in the eyes of Towne students as his death was announced.

Specialists with the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Crisis

Intervention Unit were on hand to provide counseling and comfort.

Towne teachers were given a memo to read aloud. “Mr. Rapp will always be

remembered for his love and dedication to children,” it read in part.

Rapp’s death comes nearly four months after the death of Towne student

Gabriela Rios, who was 6 years old when she lost her battle with cancer.

She died Nov. 12 at her home less than a mile from Towne.

Towne parents, teachers and others are awaiting the results of several

weeks of testing for environmental hazards at the school, across the

street from Victoria Golf Course, which sits on an old landfill and has

been found to be emitting potentially dangerous gases.

In particular, many wonder if there is a link between the deaths of Rapp

and Gabriela and the instances of cancer and other illnesses among the 14

current and former Towne employees who have come forward since the state

launched its investigation. Several of Towne’s 535 students have also

complained of migraine headaches, rashes and asthma.

The tests, conducted between November and January by a company called ITT

Corp., included gathering samples of soil, soil gas and ground water from

various sections of the Towne campus.

Officials with the state Department of Toxic Substance Control are still

evaluating the results, which will be formally released at a public

meeting that has been postponed until April.