James Gregory Schlapo

A Word from Jimmy

"To My Loved Ones & Friends—
Even though they both include all of you, Thank You. There is no way you could have made my life better. Every single thing I think about losing here is a person, an event, a championship. Every single thing I did of worth, I did with you—and it was you who made it worthwhile. My only fear is that, through all of you, and through God, I have been given such a great life that I can never say, “I am the poor.” I am the richest person I know."

Life & Family

James “Jimmy” Gregory Schlapo, 69, passed away peacefully at Casey House in Rockville, Maryland, on August 29, 2025. Born April 1, 1956, in Chicago, Illinois, he was the son of George Schlapo and the late Patricia (Robin) Schlapo.

Jimmy is survived by his daughters Canice Schlapo and Courtney (Schlapo) Sturniolo and her husband Damon; his sister Tish Brey and her husband Scott Adams and her children Kyle and Callie Brey; his brother Michael Schlapo and his daughter Nikki Schlapo; and the daughters of his late brother John Schlapo, Alyssa Zombro and Grace Schlapo. He is also mourned by his extended family, including his cousin Bobby Jackson, in-laws, nieces, and nephews. He is remembered with love by his former wives: Lina Angelici, mother of his daughters, and Rina Duncan, to whom he was married for 25 years.

Education & Swimming

Jimmy graduated from Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in 1974, where he was a standout swimmer and later inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame. He swam for and earned a B.S. in Psychology from Villanova University in 1978.

Swimming & Coaching Legacy

Professionally, he founded and ran several successful technology consulting businesses. But Jimmy’s true passion in life was swimming and, above all, his swimmers. He began coaching in 1979. In 1987, he returned to the pool deck at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, where he himself had been a Hall of Fame athlete. One tribute described him as, “not just the rudder steering the ship that was Good Counsel swimming, he was the motor, driving it forward day in and day out.” During his tenure, the boys’ and girls’ teams brought home numerous National Catholic titles and 14 Metro Championships. His own accolades—including All-League and All-Met coaching honors—meant little to him. Jimmy cared far more about the victories earned in the pool by his swimmers.

Jimmy also coached with the Rockville Montgomery Swim Club (RMSC), where he mentored countless young athletes until his cancer diagnosis. Even into the summer of 2025, he continued to swim competitively in a senior league, embodying the same drive and dedication he inspired in his athletes.

For Jimmy, swimming was more than a sport — it was a gift. It had given him a scholarship to Villanova University and opened the door to an education that shaped his life. He paid that gift forward through coaching, determined not only to make his swimmers faster but to help them earn opportunities for schools, scholarships, and futures they might not otherwise have had.

Faith & Community

Jimmy’s faith was at the center of his life. Having attended Catholic schools from elementary school through college, he found strength and hope in his faith. During his illness, he received the Sacrament of the Sick not once, not twice—but four times. The final time, by Monsignor Perry, he received the Apostolic Pardon, a plenary indulgence under the authority of the Pope. Jimmy took great pride in the fact that one of his Villanova classmates went on to become the newly elected Pope.

His communities—Rehoboth Beach, Good Counsel, Villanova, RMSC, Flower Valley, and his Catholic faith—were his foundation. He played basketball with fellow GC alums until his diagnosis, and during his hospital stays, he was buoyed by an extraordinary outpouring of visits: more than 75 friends, teammates, swimmers, and coaches, in addition to his beloved family. Their presence gave him strength and stretched his time from days into weeks.

Final Days & Farewell

His girls, Canice and Courtney—the luckiest daughters in the whole world—never left his bedside, advocating fiercely for every medical intervention in the hope that treatment would turn the tide. Despite his eternal optimism and champion’s determination, Jimmy was diagnosed with Stage 4C cancer too late for treatment to succeed. He entered hospice at Casey House, where he passed just days later, surrounded by family.

Services & Celebrations

A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Rockville on Friday, September 5, 2025, at 1:30 pm, with Visitation beginning at 1:00 pm.

In addition, a party, “Schlapo’s Shenanigans”, will be held on Saturday, September 6, 4-7 pm, at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School. Friends are encouraged to come in tie-dye or team colors— Villanova, Good Counsel, RMSC, other swim clubs, or Washington’s pro teams—to remember Jimmy the way he wanted: “alive and full of shenanigans.”

In Lieu of Flowers

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Good Counsel Swimming & Diving Team, ensuring Jimmy’s passion for the sport and his commitment to opening doors for young athletes lives on. Make checks payable to Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, and in the memo line it indicate “Swim and Dive Team Financial Assistance”. Or, go online to https://www.olgchs.org/support-gc/ways-to-give/memorial-and-tribute-gift-form, select "In memory of" and enter "James Schlapo". In the "gift designation" space, please specify “Swim and Dive Team Financial Assistance”.