Alvin Schlapia

Alvin D. Schlapia, 84, of Creston, IA, passed away on Thursday, September 12, 2024 at his home. Alvin was born on May 4, 1940 on a farm northwest of Diagonal, IA to Hugh Albert and Vivian Dorothy (Pratt) Schlapia.

Alvin attended grades K-12 in Diagonal, where he enjoyed playing basketball and graduated as valedictorian in 1958. He received his AA Degree in 1960 from Creston Junior College, where he also played basketball. In 1963, he earned his BS Degree, cum laude, in Business Administration with an Accounting Specialization from the University of Omaha in Omaha, NE. In the spring of 1963, Alvin passed the CPA examination and enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves. He rose to the rank of Mess/Staff Sergeant (E6) during the balance of his six-year service and was honorably discharged in 1969.

In May, 1963, Alvin met the love of his life, Mary Ann Carson in Creston, IA. The couple was married on August 2, 1964 at the First Christian Church in Creston and resided in Omaha, NE until moving to Creston in 1971 so Alvin could join his family’s business in Diagonal. This union was blessed by three children; Debra, Doug and Darin.

For 31 years, Alvin served as president of Schlapia, Inc., a feed milling, farm supply and petroleum products business. In 1990 Alvin recognized the need for a convenience store in Diagonal. The result was Jerry’s Texaco Food Mart, which opened on August 13, 1991.  Alvin served on the Board of Directors of the Petroleum Marketers of Iowa for six years and served as its Treasurer for five of those years. In 2002, Alvin retired to grandfathering, wintering with Mary Ann in Arizona, enjoying coffee fellowship, and golfing.

Alvin was a member of the United Methodist and Disciples of Christ Christian Churches in Diagonal, Omaha, and Creston. He served on the boards and committees of the Methodist church and the Christian Church. Alvin served as Treasurer of the Diagonal Lions Club for over twenty years and also as Treasurer of the Diagonal Community Development Corporation from 1979 to 2002.

Alvin was a loving, kind, proud, and dependable husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He proudly followed the church music career of his daughter and the basketball careers of his two sons. Later he and Mary Ann kept busy attending their grandchildren’s activities and were very proud of their many accomplishments.

Alvin is survived by his wife Mary Ann of 60 years; daughter Debra; son Doug (Sandy); son Darin (Ann); grandchildren Nathan, Ashlyn, Nicholas, Justin, Grace, Adrian, and Andrew; brother Ron (Toni); sisters-in-law Rosemary Hullinger, Cindy Schlapia and Kaye (Kilgore) Carson; many nephews and nieces, cousins, and a host of other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Hugh and Vivian, brothers Jerry and Robert, three sisters-in-law and one brother-in-law.

 In lieu of flowers, Alvin’s wish was for memorials to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Undesignated memorials will go to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.