STEVEN GERALD RAPFOGEL

Fort Worth, Texas - Steven “Steve” Gerald Rapfogel passed away on March 30, 2025, after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Born in the Bronx, Steve spent his early childhood in New York City, including in the oceanfront neighborhood of Rockaway Beach, where his home was always filled in the summertime with extended family and friends.

In 1956, Steve moved with his family to Fort Worth, attending McLean Junior High and R. L. Paschal High School. A hard worker from a young age, his first job was as a bagger at Chicotsky’s Grocery on 7th Street, earning extra tips by carrying groceries home for elderly customers.

Steve continued his education at the University of Texas at Austin, where he was a member of the Phi Sigma Delta fraternity and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1964. Following college, he served in the Air Force Reserves and then, in 1965, started working in the family business in Fort Worth, developing land and building tract homes in nearby Burleson.

In 1978, he transitioned to building custom homes, working on numerous contemporary and architecturally intricate residential projects. Among his favorites were several homes on which he collaborated with noted architect Emery Young.

Steve had a deep appreciation for art, antiques and photography. He was also a talented photographer himself, mentored in his youth by local journalist and his uncle’s friend, John Howard Griffin. A lifelong music lover, he cherished his memories of attending the Newport Folk Festival in the early 1960s, and later in life was a regular attendee of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. He was a car enthusiast, and he was also involved over the years with The Van Cliburn, Fort Worth Sister Cities, and American Field Services (AFS).

But his deepest love was for his family—including his children, Lisa and Robert, and grandson, Andrew, with whom he shared a lifetime of travels, adventures, holidays, and cherished memories. He also adored his sweet nonhuman family members, beloved dogs, Maddie and Bella, and fondly remembered his late dogs, Tara and Rosie.

Steve was preceded in death by his parents, Bernice and Mortimer “Morty” Rapfogel; sister, Judith “Judy” Rapfogel Cooper; aunt and uncle, Ruth and Irving Rapfogel; aunts, Anne Duboff Franzese, Sylvia Portugal, and Doris Schiff; and cousins, Steven Duboff, Lynn Duboff, and Susan Schiff.

Steve is survived by his daughter, Lisa Rapfogel, and her son, Andrew Ostroff, of Dallas; and his son, Robert Rapfogel (Sofia), of Houston. He also leaves behind his nieces, Robin Frisbie and Stephanie Toppel (Steve); grand-nephew and grand-nieces, Alex Frisbie, Taylor Frisbie, Blakely Helene Toppel and Mandy Toppel; as well as his cousins, Beth Roy (Mariah), Nan Freund (Evan), Richard Rapfogel, Alex Freund (Lisa), Jed Rapfogel, Karl Rapfogel (Jane Anne), Lucy Rapfogel, Max Freund (Cynthia), and Tuhin Roy.

The family wishes to express their deepest gratitude to his caretaker Gifty Adomako, as well as to the many friends who visited and called during Steve’s final days.

Following committal prayers at 2:00 pm on Monday, April 7, in the Beth-El Section of Greenwood Memorial Park, with Rabbi Emeritus Ralph Mecklenburger officiating, Steve will be laid to rest with his parents and sister. Honorary Bearers will be H. Walter Pye, Jr., Jack Rubin, Marilyn Rubin, Ruth Kimbrough, Larry Sluiter, and Kathleen Sneed.

Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to Saving Hope Dog Rescue (www.savinghoperescue.org) or Beth-El Congregation in Fort Worth (www.bethelfw.org).