Ava Sapp
March 28, 1923 ~ December 21, 2017
Ava P. Sapp, a patriot who served her country as an Army Cadet Nurse during World War II, and afterward supported her husband throughout his career as a Naval Officer and Diplomat, died December 21, 2017 at age 94.
Born Ava Allred, March 28, 1923, she grew up in Randolph County, North Carolina and West Palm Beach, Florida. Following high school graduation, Ava headed to Richmond, Virginia to study at the Medical College of Virginia’s Grace Hospital School of Nursing. While there, The United States Cadet Nurse Corps was established by the U.S. Congress on June 15, 1943 and signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on July 1, 1943. Its purpose was to ensure the country had enough nurses to care for its citizens at home and abroad during World War II. Hearing the nation’s call for help, Ava responded, and raised her right hand and repeated the Oath of Allegiance upon admission to the Cadet Nurse Corps on July 1, 1943.
The next two years were a whirlwind of classes and studying, clinical training at the Medical College, basic military training, and eventually caring for tragically wounded soldiers at the Maguire Veterans Hospital. Caring for the soldiers brought out her natural sense of compassion that would be displayed throughout her life. She related to her family how much it meant to her to be able to make the wounded soldiers feel better both emotionally and physically. Her joyful, fun-loving, yet tender, caring personality endeared her to all who knew her throughout her life.
Ava graduated from nursing school and the Cadet Nurse Corps on September 27, 1945. Following the surrender of Japan in August 1945, The Cadet Nurse Corps was phased out over the next three years and ended in 1948.
Always eager to learn and improve her nursing skills, Ava enrolled in a graduate nursing program at Duke University in Durham, NC. There she studied operating room procedure and operating room supervision. Ever adventurous, she also took flying lessons and learned to fly a plane. She loved it! She also met the love of her life, her future husband, at Duke. Ava was at a school dance when her dance partner began dancing a bit too aggressively. A handsome physics major and NROTC student, Earle W. Sapp, cut in and rescued her. Earle was immediately smitten with the pretty nurse and would not let anyone cut in on him. Ava was a busy student, and, although she liked Earle, was not interested in having a beau. But Earle would not give up. He used this ingenuity to see her as often as possible, including scheduling a necessary tonsillectomy on a day when he knew she would be in the operating room assisting in student surgeries.
After finishing their studies at Duke, Earle set off to begin his Naval career as an Ensign. Ava moved to Miami, Florida to begin a career supervising operating rooms and teaching at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Earle gave Ava an engagement ring Christmas, 1946 before heading overseas with the Navy. They were married August 2, 1947 at Westminster Presbyterian Church in NW Washington DC. The rigors of being a Navy wife began immediately as they went straight from the wedding reception at the home of Earle’s parents in NE Washington to catch a train to Boston where Earle would take classes at MIT. Ava always laughed recalling how she walked down the aisle of the train with wedding rice still falling from her hair and suit, amusing the passengers on the train.
During the first years of the marriage, Ava and Earle moved frequently, largely due to Earle’s continued schooling in Antisubmarine Warfare. Over the course of their marriage, Ava and Earle moved 48 times. Their first child was born in Mare Island, CA, and they drove across country in the summer heat to Key West, FL with a month-old baby in the back seat.
When her second child was born, Earle was overseas on a ship in the North Atlantic reporting on the sinking of the Flying Enterprise and staying in radio contact with newsman Walter Cronkite. Ava was staying with her mother-in-law in Washington DC, and was surprised and delighted to receive a phone call from Walter Cronkite congratulating her on the birth of her son.
Two more sons were born to Ava and Earle while again living in Key West. Those were happy days living on the Gulf of Mexico amongst lots of Navy friends, fishing for red snapper from their boat, dancing under the stars at the Officer’s Club, and teaching the children to swim. Many of the friends Ava made in Key West became friends for life.
In 1957 the family moved north to the Washington DC area, and from there on to New London, CT; Newport, RI; Norfolk, VA and then Washington DC again. Ava’s goal was to support her husband in any way she could and to give her children the best start in life possible. She took every move in stride and worked to find wonderful homes, along with developmental, sports, and church activities for her children in each city. She believed strongly in volunteerism, and set an example for her children by being a school home room mother, Boy Scout den mother, Girl Scout leader, and by volunteering with the various military wives associations.
Her husband’s last tour of duty was in London, England where, among other roles, he served as an attaché to the American Embassy. Ava and Earle had the pleasure of attending the Queen’s Garden (Birthday) Party in 1972 where they enjoyed a pleasant conversation with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. Ava enjoyed entertaining embassy attachés from other countries in their home in London. It was also during this time that she traveled to Russia on an embassy-sponsored trip.
Upon her husband’s retirement they settled in McLean, VA for twenty-five years, and then moved to Fairfax City, VA. During those years Ava enjoyed growing flowers and traveling to Australia, England, China and her home in Palm Beach Shores, Florida. She was most happy, though, being with family. Ava described her life as having been “busy” and having “no regrets.”
Ava is survived by a daughter, Janet S. Marks of Augusta, GA; three sons, Earle W. Sapp III of Fairfax, VA, William P. Sapp of Annapolis, MD and Thomas A. Sapp of Mason Neck, VA; three grandchildren and a sister, Helen White of Asheboro, NC.
A funeral service will be held at the Old Post Chapel at Ft. Myer on Tuesday, July 3, 2018 at 11:00am followed by interment at Arlington National Cemetery and a reception at the Ft. Myer Officer’s Club.
Born Ava Allred, March 28, 1923, she grew up in Randolph County, North Carolina and West Palm Beach, Florida. Following high school graduation, Ava headed to Richmond, Virginia to study at the Medical College of Virginia’s Grace Hospital School of Nursing. While there, The United States Cadet Nurse Corps was established by the U.S. Congress on June 15, 1943 and signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on July 1, 1943. Its purpose was to ensure the country had enough nurses to care for its citizens at home and abroad during World War II. Hearing the nation’s call for help, Ava responded, and raised her right hand and repeated the Oath of Allegiance upon admission to the Cadet Nurse Corps on July 1, 1943.
The next two years were a whirlwind of classes and studying, clinical training at the Medical College, basic military training, and eventually caring for tragically wounded soldiers at the Maguire Veterans Hospital. Caring for the soldiers brought out her natural sense of compassion that would be displayed throughout her life. She related to her family how much it meant to her to be able to make the wounded soldiers feel better both emotionally and physically. Her joyful, fun-loving, yet tender, caring personality endeared her to all who knew her throughout her life.
Ava graduated from nursing school and the Cadet Nurse Corps on September 27, 1945. Following the surrender of Japan in August 1945, The Cadet Nurse Corps was phased out over the next three years and ended in 1948.
Always eager to learn and improve her nursing skills, Ava enrolled in a graduate nursing program at Duke University in Durham, NC. There she studied operating room procedure and operating room supervision. Ever adventurous, she also took flying lessons and learned to fly a plane. She loved it! She also met the love of her life, her future husband, at Duke. Ava was at a school dance when her dance partner began dancing a bit too aggressively. A handsome physics major and NROTC student, Earle W. Sapp, cut in and rescued her. Earle was immediately smitten with the pretty nurse and would not let anyone cut in on him. Ava was a busy student, and, although she liked Earle, was not interested in having a beau. But Earle would not give up. He used this ingenuity to see her as often as possible, including scheduling a necessary tonsillectomy on a day when he knew she would be in the operating room assisting in student surgeries.
After finishing their studies at Duke, Earle set off to begin his Naval career as an Ensign. Ava moved to Miami, Florida to begin a career supervising operating rooms and teaching at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Earle gave Ava an engagement ring Christmas, 1946 before heading overseas with the Navy. They were married August 2, 1947 at Westminster Presbyterian Church in NW Washington DC. The rigors of being a Navy wife began immediately as they went straight from the wedding reception at the home of Earle’s parents in NE Washington to catch a train to Boston where Earle would take classes at MIT. Ava always laughed recalling how she walked down the aisle of the train with wedding rice still falling from her hair and suit, amusing the passengers on the train.
During the first years of the marriage, Ava and Earle moved frequently, largely due to Earle’s continued schooling in Antisubmarine Warfare. Over the course of their marriage, Ava and Earle moved 48 times. Their first child was born in Mare Island, CA, and they drove across country in the summer heat to Key West, FL with a month-old baby in the back seat.
When her second child was born, Earle was overseas on a ship in the North Atlantic reporting on the sinking of the Flying Enterprise and staying in radio contact with newsman Walter Cronkite. Ava was staying with her mother-in-law in Washington DC, and was surprised and delighted to receive a phone call from Walter Cronkite congratulating her on the birth of her son.
Two more sons were born to Ava and Earle while again living in Key West. Those were happy days living on the Gulf of Mexico amongst lots of Navy friends, fishing for red snapper from their boat, dancing under the stars at the Officer’s Club, and teaching the children to swim. Many of the friends Ava made in Key West became friends for life.
In 1957 the family moved north to the Washington DC area, and from there on to New London, CT; Newport, RI; Norfolk, VA and then Washington DC again. Ava’s goal was to support her husband in any way she could and to give her children the best start in life possible. She took every move in stride and worked to find wonderful homes, along with developmental, sports, and church activities for her children in each city. She believed strongly in volunteerism, and set an example for her children by being a school home room mother, Boy Scout den mother, Girl Scout leader, and by volunteering with the various military wives associations.
Her husband’s last tour of duty was in London, England where, among other roles, he served as an attaché to the American Embassy. Ava and Earle had the pleasure of attending the Queen’s Garden (Birthday) Party in 1972 where they enjoyed a pleasant conversation with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. Ava enjoyed entertaining embassy attachés from other countries in their home in London. It was also during this time that she traveled to Russia on an embassy-sponsored trip.
Upon her husband’s retirement they settled in McLean, VA for twenty-five years, and then moved to Fairfax City, VA. During those years Ava enjoyed growing flowers and traveling to Australia, England, China and her home in Palm Beach Shores, Florida. She was most happy, though, being with family. Ava described her life as having been “busy” and having “no regrets.”
Ava is survived by a daughter, Janet S. Marks of Augusta, GA; three sons, Earle W. Sapp III of Fairfax, VA, William P. Sapp of Annapolis, MD and Thomas A. Sapp of Mason Neck, VA; three grandchildren and a sister, Helen White of Asheboro, NC.
A funeral service will be held at the Old Post Chapel at Ft. Myer on Tuesday, July 3, 2018 at 11:00am followed by interment at Arlington National Cemetery and a reception at the Ft. Myer Officer’s Club.
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