MORGANTOWN — A Celebration of Life service is planned for Dr. LeRoy “Lee” Lapp, a pioneer in the study of lung diseases in West Virginia coal miners.
He died Monday in Morgantown at age 86.
He worked for Appalachian Laboratory for Occupational Respiratory Diseases (ALFORD), a precursor to NIOSH. He did research on dust-related lung diseases. He was recognized as an expert in chest X-ray interpretation by the American College of Radiology and as a highly sought-after expert for legal cases related to occupational lung disease compensation. He was the first physician in West Virginia to use lasers to treat lung tumors.
He joined WVU faculty in 1975, a professor and chief of the section of pulmonary and critical care medicine. He retired in 1995.
“Dr. Lapp was an inspirational professor and physician who approached teaching and treating patients with a patient and kind demeanor,” Dr. Clay Marsh, WVU health sciences vice president and executive dean, said in a press release. “He was generous with his time and knowledge and left an indelible impact on the many students, residents and faculty members with whom he had the opportunity to work.”
The service is at 1 p.m. Saturday at Suncrest United Methodist Church in Morgantown.
