Martin Lapera
November 11, 1923 — October 7, 2017
Martin Carrera Lapera, 93, of Walkersville, Maryland passed peacefully on October 7, 2017 at Frederick Memorial Hospital, surrounded by his loving family. Born on November 11, 1923, in Waialua, Hawaii, he was the son of the late Alberto and Maria Lapera.
He grew up in Waimanalo, Hawaii in a large, close-knit and happy family. He attended Waimanalo Elementary School. As a young man he worked handling munitions at Fort Shafter, Hawaii through most of World War II and vividly remembered the bombing of Pearl Harbor. In late 1945 he enlisted in the Army-Air Force and was sent to Germany, posted at Erding Air Force base, near Munich, Bavaria, Germany. He met the love of his life, Annelies Frankl in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1946, quickly endearing himself to her parents and siblings, given his kind nature. They were married in 1948 and had their four children between 1949 and 1959.
Martin spent more than a year in combat, during 1950-51 on the front lines of the Korean War, and recounted fascinating anecdotes about facing masses of enemy troops and being caught behind enemy lines as part of General MacArthur’s forces. Later, the army life carried the family to France, Germany, Guatemala and Maryland, with many months spent in Hawaii. He retired from the Army in 1966 and then worked for an engineering firm for 20 years. Theirs was a happy, close-knit family, with strong ties to all of the extended family in Germany and Hawaii.
Martin brought quiet strength, kindness and determination to raising his children with Annelies. He dedicated himself to his family, and educated himself in the army in order to provide for his family. As a loving father, his children knew that they could always depend on him, that he could fix anything-whether a bruise from a bike fall, or broken-down car. He and Annelies were a loving couple, always together, happy in each other’s company and dedicated to their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His almost 94 years on this earth was a great blessing to his family.
His beloved wife Annelies predeceased him in June of 2016. They were married for 68 years. Martin is survived by son Peter and his wife Annabella, of Potomac, MD; son Martin S. and his wife Joan, of Walkersville, MD; daughter Elizabeth Lapera-Valenzuela and her husband Mike Valenzuela of Duluth, GA.; his brother Frank Lapira and his wife Betty, of the Philippines; sister-in-law Lani Lapera, of Waimanalo, Hawaii. In Germany he is survived by his brother-in-law Peter Frankl and his wife Irmgard; his sister-in-law Elfriede Lapira.
He is also survived by grand-daughters Nicole and her husband Justin Holler, Anna Lapera and her husband Steven Woodson, and Brianna Valenzuela; grandsons Justin Gianniny and his wife Kerry and Michael Valenzuela; and great-grandchildren Lukas, Kennedy and Maddox Holler, Mila and Campbell Gianniny, and Annika Woodson. In Germany and Hawaii he is survived by many nephews and nieces and their families.
Martin was predeceased by his precious daughter Barbara A. Lapera and his wonderful grandson Peter A. Lapera. He is also predeceased by his sisters Rose Lapera Lum and Mary Lapera Tabar, and brothers Thomas, Manuel, Moses, Joseph, and Albert.
A special thanks to Alice Maenner and Sharon Taylor for their loving care of our Dad.
A private visitation will be held at the convenience of the family. A Mass of Christian Burial, open to all who want to celebrate Martin’s life, will begin at 11 a.m. on Friday, October 13, 2017, at St. Peter the Apostle Roman Catholic Church in Libertytown, MD with Rev. Jason Worley officiating. Interment will follow in St. Peter's Cemetery, where Martin will rest side-by-side with the love of his life, Annelies Lapera..
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (http://www.pdf.org
Arrangements are by Stauffer Funeral Home, Frederick, Maryland.