A working member of the Missouri Southern Lionbacker Booster Club, Laptad served five years as president of the organization’s steering committee and remained a member of the committee until his death in 2015. A fixture at almost every Missouri Southern athletic event, Laptad was especially active in track and field and cross country, assisting with meets in both sports. Laptad has an annual Missouri Southern Track and Field meet named for him and Bill Williams called the Bob Laptad/Bill Williams Invitational.

A member of the 1946 and 1948 track and field and cross country teams at the University of Kansas, Laptad served a two-year stint with the United State Marine Corps. Because of his efforts with Missouri Southern’s track and field and cross country programs, his tireless work with the Lionbacker Booster Club, and his loyalty to Missouri Southern, Laptad was the 1999 recipient of the Meritorious Hall of Fame Award.