Mill Creek Mourns the Loss of Safety Director Marco Tapia

A Life of Service to Country, Community, Club, and the Shooting Sports

Mill Creek Rifle Club is saddened to announce the passing of Safety Director Marco Arturo Tapia, 72, who died Sunday, November 1, 2026.

Marco joined Mill Creek in August 2023 and became a valued member of the club's Board of Directors, bringing with him a lifetime of experience in law enforcement, public service, education, and the shooting sports.

A U.S. Army veteran and career law enforcement professional, Marco served in numerous positions during his distinguished career, including chief investigator for the Wyandotte County District Attorney's Office, homicide and forensic investigator, and senior positions in state public safety and narcotics enforcement. His service included patrol and community-based functions, as well as specialized counter-drug operations on the southwest border of the United States. He managed Missouri’s Narcotics Control Program, and also has served as an adjunct instructor for the Institute of the Intergovernmental Research and LSU’s Academy of Counter-Terrorism. His professional life reflected a deeply held belief in the rule of law and its essential role in protecting the constitutional freedoms Americans enjoy.

A doctoral-level professional in criminal justice, he was also a professor of criminal justice at Central Methodist University in Missouri, where he was awarded the university's Momberg Gold Chalk award two years in a row, recognizing his contribution to teaching by the Omicron Delta Kappa Central Methodist Circle, CMU’s chapter of the national leadership society. Marco was equally passionate about firearms education and the shooting sports. An NRA-certified firearms instructor and Chief Range Safety Officer, he devoted considerable time to teaching others, including young people. Among his accomplishments was helping establish a youth shooting organization in another state that continues to operate today.

As Mill Creek's Safety Director, Marco believed that maintaining a safe shooting environment was a responsibility shared by every member. He advocated a club-wide culture of safety, built on education, personal responsibility, and members helping one another.

But Marco's commitment to Mill Creek went beyond range safety. He loved the Midwestern way of life, the friendships it fostered, and the opportunity to share his knowledge and experience with others. In his February 2024 application to serve on the Board of Directors, he expressed what had drawn him to the club:

"I quickly came to realize that MCRC is a place to gather with friends… it's a family."

That sense of family, and his willingness to teach, mentor, and lend a hand whenever needed, will be an enduring part of Marco's legacy at Mill Creek.

The Board of Directors and members of Mill Creek Rifle Club extend their deepest sympathies to Marco's family and friends. We are grateful for his friendship, his leadership, and his service to our club and our country. He will be missed.

Funeral arrangements: Visitation will be held from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, November 6, at Grace Tabernacle Family Life Outreach Center, 1928 N. 47th Street, Kansas City, Kansas. Funeral services will follow at 1 p.m.