Jerry (Gerald) V. Lapp, 58, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania passed away on Nov. 5, 2024, in a mountain bike accident on the way to his daughter's soccer game. Jerry was a loving son, loyal brother, beloved father, devoted husband and a true friend to many, and he will be dearly missed.

An ambitious athlete and a fearless explorer, Jerry traveled the world in pursuit of adventure all his life. He cycled across continents, hiked among the world's highest peaks and once drove his car over ice roads to the Arctic Circle. A trailblazing cyclist, both on and off road, he was reliably glued to a TV for weeks each July during the Tour de France.

Gracious and unfailingly kind, Jerry had a light-hearted confidence and an instinctual faith in the universe. He was a calming presence. He delighted in doing anything, however goofy, to make his children laugh. He wore shorts nearly year-round, even in snow. He was a genius at trivia. He loved the color orange, the brighter the better, and worked it into his wardrobe at every turn.

Born Oct. 11, 1966, in Atlanta, Georgia, the middle child to Marv and Mary Lapp – between brothers Ernie and Glen – Jerry spent his earliest years in Honduras with Ernie and their parents, who worked at a school there. He graduated from Lancaster Mennonite High School and later from Millersville University with a Bachelor of Science in sociology, excelling in soccer at both schools.

After college, he launched a house painting business in Lancaster and came to be known for his meticulous lines and expert craftsmanship. In 1991, the three Lapp brothers cycled across the United States, a 3000-mile journey from Oregon to New Jersey. He later set out solo on a road trip to the Arctic Circle, traveling along the Dalton Highway in Alaska over hundreds of miles of ice roads, an adventure that would become the source of many of his favorite go-to stories. He spent a season in 1994 working at Yosemite National Park before earning his commercial driving license to become a long-haul trucker driving 18-wheelers all over the United States. In the mid-1990s, Jerry cycled more than 5,000 miles from Ushuaia, Argentina at the southern tip of South America to Quito, Ecuador, just north of the equator.

In 1996, Jerry began dating Mary Ellen Francescani, and in 1998, the couple flew to Kathmandu, Nepal. They fell in love with the region, began trekking and taking language classes, and decided to stay. Jerry worked as a manager for Yak & Yeti Enterprises, an import/export business dealing in handmade silver jewelry, while Mary Ellen worked as a Peace Corps Medical Officer. While at Yak & Yeti, his boss was an esteemed monk from Kopan monastery as well as a financial wizard – a passion Jerry absorbed and would later employ with great skill in managing his own family's finances.

In 2000, Jerry and Mary Ellen were married in New York before returning to Nepal, and two years later, Anabelle Grace was born. The young family eventually moved back stateside to Lancaster in 2003, where Jerry took charge of primary childcare duties while Mary Ellen worked at St. Joe's hospital. Henry Kailash was born in 2005 and Maisy Lucia in 2007. Jerry reveled in his role as a father, custom-building elaborate trailers behind his bike to wheel his trio of small children around town. Over the years, Jerry organized dozens of cycling trips, clubs and events, while developing a deep community of friends along the way.

In the late 2000s, Bhutanese Nepali refugees began resettling in significant numbers in Lancaster, and Jerry became deeply involved in helping them adjust to their new lives through his work with Church World Service. He served as a translator, home repairman and financial advisor, helping many refugees secure jobs at local hospitals. Jerry was especially enthusiastic about his work sharing lessons in financial literacy with newly resettled Nepali Americans. He hoped to one day turn it into a full-time business.

He and Mary Ellen founded a nonprofit dedicated to providing nursing scholarships for refugees, as well as a charity that collected hundreds of damaged or discarded bicycles — which Jerry repaired and distributed to refugees who didn't drive. Jerry knew many people affected by the devastating 2015 earthquake in Nepal, so he spearheaded a day-long fundraiser in Lancaster which included speakers, live music, meditation and prayer, food and spirits, and family activities. The event brought together the local community and raised substantial funds for recovery efforts in Nepal.

Throughout the early 2010s, Jerry regularly organized trekking trips to Nepal, and in 2016 founded his own company Skychasers World, a travel firm that designs and hosts insider pilgrimage treks for people wanting to visit the High Himalayas.

It was on treks in the Himalayas and marathon bike rides that Jerry's leadership shined brightest. He led by example, pushing himself beyond his own limits, and in turn and with gentle assurance, pushing his friends, family and clients to carry on far beyond their own comfort zones. After their legs stopped aching, they all thanked him. He believed in everyone he met and was always sure they could do things they never thought they could.

For all of his world travels, Jerry's favorite adventures were at home in Lancaster – whether forging a new mountain bike route through the woods, winding his way through the city, or finding a new concrete culvert to ride through. He took great joy in bringing friends and family along for the ride.

Everyone who knew Jerry loved Jerry. He touched everyone he met with his warm smile, kind words and genuine interest in who they were and what they had to say. Jerry had time for everyone. He will be greatly missed, all over the world.

Jerry is survived by his wife, Mary Ellen Francescani and his children, Anabelle, Henry and Maisy, his father Marv, his brother Ernie, and sister-in-law Mary. He is predeceased by his mother Mary and his brother Glen.

A memorial service for Jerry will be held on Dec. 15, at 2 p.m. at Country Barn Farm Market at 211 S Donerville Rd, Lancaster, PA 17603.