The January 28, 2010, issue of the Richmond Free Press has word of the recent death of Earl Michael Pappy:

Earl Michael Pappy, a popular former principal for George Wythe High School on South Side, has died. The 51-year-old educator suffered a fatal heart attack on Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010, at the residence of his fiancée, Janice E. Fisher.

The Bronx, N.Y., native led George Wythe for four years, leaving in 2006. In the final year of his tenure at Wythe, the school achieved state accreditation after several years of being on probation and academic warning. Before going to Wythe, he had served for two years as principal of Boushall Middle School, also on the South Side.

Earl Pappy was known for his take charge attitude and his constant reminders to students and faculty to “get your business straight.” A former teacher for Geroge Wythe wrote, “I’ll never forget the first time I heard him over the school intercom saying “you best get your hind parts in class or I’ll put a foot in it!”"