Atkinson police officer loses battle with cancer

Atkinson police officer loses battle with cancer
By Meghan Carey
Staff writer

ATKINSON — He is described as both a fighter and a family man, but only cancer could take police Cpl. John Lapham away from the people he loved.

Lapham, 39, of Chester lost his 6-month battle with acute leukemia yesterday afternoon.

"He fought to the last minute, that's for sure," said his best friend, Kevin Donnelly. "That's what everyone who came after the passing said."

Donnelly was at his bedside along with Lapham's wife, Amy, parents, sister and another close friend when he died at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

Lapham was diagnosed with the disease in December. He received a bone marrow transplant two months ago, but later endured complications from drug reactions and recently developed pneumonia.

Lapham's father, Stan, said throughout his son's illness that he was fighting as hard as he could to stay alive so he could be there for his wife and two young sons, Matthew and Justin. No family members were available for comment last night.

Lapham was a police officer in Hampstead before taking over the midnight shift at the Atkinson Police Department eight years ago.

The shift, according to Donnelly, was Lapham's choice.

"He was a father before he was a cop," Donnelly said. "His goal every day was to be home to eat dinner with his family, and he was successful with that about 99.98 percent of the time."

Donnelly said he hopes all the support people have provided Lapham over the last six months will now be given to his family.

"His poor wife has to go home to his 4- and 6-year-old and break them the news," he said. "We have to keep remembering the family."

Lapham was a favorite of many youngsters at Atkinson Academy, where he was the Drug Abuse Resistance Education officer. Last night, the Atkinson youth baseball league held a moment of silence for Lapham before the evening's first pitches were thrown. It was the first time many of the children heard the news.

"He's going to be sadly missed and the good thing I want people to remember him for is the pivotal impact he had on the school, Atkinson Academy," Lt. William Baldwin said. "He had a huge impact on the students there in the DARE program. They all liked him."

Baldwin said the loss of Lapham is another devastating blow to the Police Department. Sgt. Diane Kinney, who served the town for 35 years, and secretarial volunteer Rose Ann Masello both died of cancer just over a month ago.

"I can't put it into words," Baldwin said.

Lapham's peers at the Police Department were so optimistic he would return that they hired a part-time officer to fill his shift for a year with the hope of having a spot available when he was well again.

Funeral arrangements are expected to be made at Brookside Chapel & Funeral Home in Plaistow today.

Lapham's family still needs help

Anyone interested in donating to the Laphams can make a deposit at any Banknorth location, or send a check to: Cpl. John Lapham Fund, c/o TD Banknorth, N.A., 47 Plaistow Road, PO Box 368, Plaistow, NH 03824.