I could have selected others as a PhD supervisor, but he had the best combination of intellect, critical thinking, professionalism, and younger personalism for me. Unlike others, he also supported or protected my pro-Palestinian views. We played tennis, softball, and chess together. Our last meeting was in St. Louis at a jazz bar under an old bridge in the mid-80s. We consumed plenty of food, drink, and music. He was an excellent prof and a very hip person. In a loose causal sense, he is very responsible for my daughter's newly minted PhD at Cambridge University this month, 2/2024. Thanks, David, for all your assistance, both directly and indirectly, to my daughter and me.  Miss you.

I was a grad student at UN-L and took classes from Dr. Rapkin and worked as his TA. I just thinking about David and decided to look him up and was devastated to come across his obituary, though I knew he had been sick.  David left quite an impression on my and others in my cohort, and we will remember him fondly. He was a profoundly decent human being and always made us laugh with his unique sense of humor.  Rest in peace, Dr. Rapkin. 

He was my favorite professor at The University of Nebraska.  He was a wonderful and gifted teacher and I admired him greatly and he was a role model. I have just moved back to Lincoln last week and I was going to look him up and I’m so devastated that I was not able to reconnect with him my condolences goes out to his family and friends