Today at 4PM Tamra Juretich Tapp left her ailing body for a much happier and peaceful place. She had quite a struggle over the last couple of days and it was time for her fight to end. We took the advice of the wonderful hospice workers and this morning began to tell her it was OK for her to leave us in Ernest. For those of us around her since her diagnosis it was truly a privilege to look after her. After all if the shoe was on the other foot we know she would have been at our bedside nonstop caring for our every need.
I would like to say having been here and watching her begin to slowly get weaker and more sick was a hard thing for everyone. It's really amazing how at peace she looks now. It wasn't a easy departure from this earth for her but she did is with such amazing grace. There is a strange calm in this house now as i write this and i can only guess that even now in death she fills this house with love just as she did while she was living.
She put up a brave fight right until the end and we could not be more proud of her. Tamra was not only a wonderful mother to all us kids but was a caring friend and confidant to anyone that was in distress. There is nobody that will able to fill the void left by her. All we can do is to follow her example of kindness and hope to fill a small portion of the hole left by her passing.
On a personal note i just wanted to say this. Of the many gifts my mother has given me in my lifetime none can compare to the one just given to me. The chance to care for HER in her time of need and the privilege of holding her hand and telling her that i love her as she slipped away is something i will never forget and it's a memory of my mom i will always treasure.
We are going to leave this blog open for you to post anything you would like to express about Tamra. At some point we hope to make a small book from this blog so we will always remember her.
God bless all of you for your love for Tamra and for your many prayers.
I love you mom...sparkle, sparkle, sparkle, meow, meow, meow.
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Tamra Juretich Tapp
Tamra Juretich Tapp
Our loving, wife, mother & grandmother age 67 passed away on Thursday, February 19, 2009 at home after a brief battle with Pancreatic Cancer.
She was born July 16th, 1941 in Murray Utah to Matt & Claudia Juretich and later married Jackie Thomas Tapp February 20th, 1960 in Coalville Utah.
Tamra began high school at West High and later graduated from Jordan High in 1959.
She started dancing at the age of 3, was a member of the Jordan High Dance Company with her best friend Penny Walker and later preformed on the Ted Mack show as a beautiful gifted young woman. As a young mother she taught ballet, tap, jazz and modern dance in the basement of her home on Coventry Lane and had a positive influence on the children she taught.
Tamra loved her time serving in the Young Women’s program of the Church. Her greatest joy was teaching and laughing with the Young Women she served. She especially had fond memories as Stake camp director while living in Silver Reef, Utah.
Tamra enjoyed working with her friends at Sunfirst Bank in Hurricane and St. George Utah, where she was always the life of the party. She especially enjoyed working alongside Mont Humphries who she considered one of her closest friends.
Most of all Tamra loved her children, grand children and her husband Jack of 48 years and will miss them dearly!
Tamra’s catch phrase throughout her life was “have a nice day and smile all the way” and loved anything that was bright and sparkly. She was always thinking of others and had the innate ability to make others feel comfortable around her.
Instead of flowers Tamra has requested that you provide an act of kindness for someone in need.
Thank you to the staff at Intermountain Healthcare and Rocky Mountain Healthcare who assisted with her care. Specifically we would like to thank her nurse Julie and CNA Sally who took such good care of her during the end of her earthly life.
Our loving, wife, mother & grandmother age 67 passed away on Thursday, February 19, 2009 at home after a brief battle with Pancreatic Cancer.
She was born July 16th, 1941 in Murray Utah to Matt & Claudia Juretich and later married Jackie Thomas Tapp February 20th, 1960 in Coalville Utah.
Tamra began high school at West High and later graduated from Jordan High in 1959.
She started dancing at the age of 3, was a member of the Jordan High Dance Company with her best friend Penny Walker and later preformed on the Ted Mack show as a beautiful gifted young woman. As a young mother she taught ballet, tap, jazz and modern dance in the basement of her home on Coventry Lane and had a positive influence on the children she taught.
Tamra loved her time serving in the Young Women’s program of the Church. Her greatest joy was teaching and laughing with the Young Women she served. She especially had fond memories as Stake camp director while living in Silver Reef, Utah.
Tamra enjoyed working with her friends at Sunfirst Bank in Hurricane and St. George Utah, where she was always the life of the party. She especially enjoyed working alongside Mont Humphries who she considered one of her closest friends.
Most of all Tamra loved her children, grand children and her husband Jack of 48 years and will miss them dearly!
Tamra’s catch phrase throughout her life was “have a nice day and smile all the way” and loved anything that was bright and sparkly. She was always thinking of others and had the innate ability to make others feel comfortable around her.
Instead of flowers Tamra has requested that you provide an act of kindness for someone in need.
Thank you to the staff at Intermountain Healthcare and Rocky Mountain Healthcare who assisted with her care. Specifically we would like to thank her nurse Julie and CNA Sally who took such good care of her during the end of her earthly life.
Up to date information for friends and family of Tamra Tapp
1/12/09
About a month ago Tamra had a recurrence of some back pain which she has had on and off for years. She had some physical therapy done but it had little effect. Over the following weeks she was very tired and sleepy. The pain had progressed over time and so she had Misty take her into the St George hospital on December 31 to get at CT scan to see if the liver was the issue of her pain. The nurses at the hospital sent her home and said they would send the scans to the doctors for review.
The doctors called on the January 5th to check on here pain and suggested that she come in for a biopsy her liver on the January 6th. She had this done and had to wait until January 8th for the results. Upon receiving the results of the biopsy the family doctor suggested we meet a hospital oncologist because he had concerns about what he was seeing on the CT scan and what showed up in the biopsy results.
An appointment was set up with the Oncologist today at the Huntsman Cancer wing here in St George. Without knowing fully all the medical lingo here is what we learned today. Apparently as some point (nobody knows exactly when) a cancer started at the bottom head of her pancreas. It has traveled from it starting point to just outside the pancreas and has since spread to the liver. Unfortunately there is not a specific treatment for where this cancer started. This is not to say that there are not treatments that can be done because there are but there is no chance of a complete cure.
Tamra has decided on a course of treatment as suggested by the oncologist. Her pain is being managed at the moment and will be modified as needed. It is her and our wish that she be kept pain free even at the cost maybe losing a few months of her life. We will be exploring all treatments as some may work and others may not. We all have agreed on this course and just want what is best for Tamra.
As her treatments and her condition changes I hope either myself, Bart, Misty or Shane will update you all with any new information. Jack is obviously very distressed by this news and I would hope you would all keep him in your prayers as well as he loves Tamra dearly!
On a personal note I would like to ask one favor of all of you. We are creating this blog mainly for Tamra to be able to log in and read messages from her loved ones and be able to send her feelings back to them when she is feeling up to it. So if you could, please do not use this board to leave messages for other family members. Misty and I have found many of our relatives on Face book and love catching up with them there. And just so you know this is also one of Tamra’s biggest wishes as she expressed to us today. She has always wanted the family to stay together and to keep in touch!
Finally, my thanks to all my family for making a bad situation bearable. To my older brother Bart and his wife Pennie. Thank you for being the strong ones and helping organize all that you have. To my little brother Shane and his wife Jamie. Thank you for taking such good care of both Tamra and Jack now and for being there for them over the years while Bart and I have been in Salt Lake. Also thank you to my little sister Misty and her husband Doug for always doing what you can to do help and helping Tamra and Jack whenever they needed you. I love you all!
Chet
10 comments:
I just want you all to know how sorry I am that Tamra and you had to go through all this. I can't imagine losing my mom or dad and yet you all sound so brave. We will try to make it to the funeral but if not, please know we love you all and are looking forward to seeing you one day soon. ~Catherine Whitworth Olsen
Tears are streaming down my face as I read today's last blog. How sad it is to know she's really gone, but after seeing her, how good it is that she finally let go and is in a better place. I couldn't sleep again last night thinking about her and how unfair it seemed that her mind was still there and her body wouldn't cooperate. She is such a strong person and has left a footprint on my heart. For selfish reasons we all want her here still...but a life well lived is one where passing leaves a hole in many hearts, one where the person is truly missed...and she's left her footprint on so many. What a great example of love and service she has been to us all. I'm so sorry for your loss. I know Tamra is truly proud of all of her children. What a tender time this is, but like you said, the love she left fills the room (and clear across the state).
My heart is full and empty at the same time. I love you all...and my dear Misty...I especially love you! My prayers are with all of you.
Love, Chanda
Dear Tapp Family,
Comfort, Peace and Hope! May they be yours in this time of sadness...
I am sorry to hear about your mother passing on, I pray that you may have the Spirit of the Lord to COMFORT you and bring you PEACE, and in time, to lessen your sadness and grief with the wonderful HOPE of being eternally reunited with her again one day.
Sincerely,
Terese Johnston
Love you ALL!!(Jack, Bart, Chet, Shane, Misty and families) I know your mom loves you all so very much and I'm sure she is and was SO grateful for all that you guys have done for her.
We will sure miss her!
Uncle Jack~ We love you lots and you are in our thoughts and prayers!!
You are all in our prayers!
Love
Mandy
Dear Jack, Bart, Chet, Shane and Misty,
My heart is heavy to know Tamra is gone. We all love her so much. I want to thank each of you and your spouses and children for the love, comfort, and kindness you gave to Tamra. She is a lucky lady to be so loved by all of you. I will miss her. Her family is such a tremendous tribute to her. Stay as close as you can to each other and your dad. Life is hard and time is limited, it makes it hare to do the things that are not a necessity. You have done a wonderful job. Find a way to stay close. Your mom will be so grateful for that. If there is anything I can help with, please either call or email me.
I love you.
Love, Aunt Rose
I was blessed to know this sweet lady by working with her on a daily basis. I have never seen anyone smile and be so cheerful all the time. Her sweet presence will be missed in my life, but I feel calm (even all teary eyed as I type this) and peaceful as I think of her and how my life it that much better.
Thank you Tamra, for blessing our lives with so much love, kindness, optimism, and cheer. You have been an angel friend, and we are all better people for sharing life with you.
Our prayers will continue to be with your family and loved ones as they struggle with missing you.
We know you are in a beautiful place, surrounded with so many people you love and who love you. We also know that you have met your Savior face to face, and that he is very pleased with your work on this earth--that great blessings await you and your family.
Goodbye my friend, goodbye. See you soon.
Laura
We will all miss Tamra so very much here at SunFirst Bank. She was such a delight to work with. I know she is at peace now but we will have such a void in our lives. D'Ann
Misty, Jack, Bart, Chet, and Shane,
My thoughts, prayers and love are with you. I'm sorry for your loss. I am so glad to have known your sweet mom and proud to call her a friend. I'm so thankful she was able to pass with you all at her side. Her sweet smile and contagious laugh will be missed. I remember her, Annette and Pauline doing the "tomato dance" at one of our roadshows. She loved to dance and taught all of the ym and yw dances. I see her dancing and smiling now. I love you all and am so thankful to have you in my life. Jack thanks for moving Tamra and Misty to Leeds and living in Silver Reef, I'm thankful you brought them to us! We are all better people because of the example Tamra set. I love you all. Big hugs and kisses all around!!
Love,
Kristen
Jack, Chet & Family,
I was so sorry to hear of your wife and mother's passing from this dreadful disease. I know all too well how difficult it is to watch someone you love go through so much to leave this life.
God bless and comfort you all through the tough days that lie ahead. Take comfort in knowing that you will see her again someday, and know that God will wrap his loving arms around you to help you through this.
My love and prayers!
Linda Smith from the old Westcon gang
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