Linda Louise Tappa

Linda Tappa entered eternity on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, where she joined her Heavenly Father in His glorious kingdom. Linda Louise Holmes was born on December 11,1946 in Cincinnati, Ohio to parents, Robert and Janet Holmes. She was the youngest of four siblings–Jack, Jim, and Nancy. Linda was blessed to gain Susan, Barbara and Georgia as sisters following Janet’s second marriage to Patrick Bressler. Her family moved a lot throughout her childhood, but she treasured her time in Ohio. They eventually settled in Lancaster, California and Linda had fond memories of the many years she attended Roosevelt Community Church in Lancaster.

Linda was employed at Lockheed, Office Max, and Center Partners to name a few. She also served the Lakeland School District as a memorable bus driver. She was the owner/manager of the Hico gas station on the corner of Hayden Avenue and Ramsey Road for a number of years. She brought a no-nonsense and humorous flair to every work environment she was in. This helped her to correct people and draw them up short when they needed it while maintaining a humorous, compassionate, loving care for her fellow employees.

Among her passions were creating skits for church events and special family events with her beloved sister-in-law and best friend, Marilyn Holmes. She served as a 4-H leader in both California and northern Idaho helping children and teenagers raise and show horses, sheep, and rabbits. Linda had a special place in her heart for mission work and for missionaries who were sharing about Jesus. She was always working on various things in the church to bring Jesus’ love to others such as Secret Sisters, which was created to help girls and women bless each other secretly; helping in every imaginable and unimaginable way with people’s weddings, loved to play cards with people and have get-togethers and dinners for people. Even in her more difficult years, she was often saying, “I have to get so-and-so over here for lunch/dinner”. Although she recounts her high school home economics class as a momentous failure on her part- she took away the heart of how to bless others with her amazing hospitality far beyond what a class could teach and grade.

Regardless of where she lived or where she worked, her greatest investment was made in her loved ones–her biological family, her church family, and dear beloved friends that she made along her life journey. Her greatest passion and investment were made in her grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, nephews and nieces. As we grieve her departure from our presence, so many of us can recall her investment in our lives with memories of her skits, her pranks, her spicy humor, laughter, family gatherings, special dinners, crazy photos, weddings, and celebrations. People were where she made her greatest investment, and she had a wonderful habit of “adopting” people into her life all along the way–investing in them deeply and richly as if they were a part of her biological family and caring about their lives and situations.

She helped all of us understand that to truly live is about more than just having life “go your way”. She demonstrated to all of us how to push through suffering and hardship and strive to live the hand we are dealt very well, loving others deeply, laughing through life, despite setbacks and obstacles. This truth was evident even to many medical professionals who treated her for the last many years.

Linda was preceded in death by her siblings, Jack Holmes, Jim Holmes and Nancy Penfield, sister-in-law Cheryl Holmes, her son Dean Darrow, her great-grandson Eli Griffin, and nephews Jack Holmes and Stephen Holmes. She is survived by her sisters-Susan, Barbara and Georgia, sons, David (Laurie) and Dirk (Michelle).  She is survived by beloved grandchildren-D.J.(Cameo), Bethany, Tim (Jessica), Talienna (Morgan), Joshua, Maneesha, Andrew, Matthew, Anna, Sarah, Joel, and Elizabeth. She is survived by great-grandchildren- Adiella, Jake, Addison, Lyla, Rebekah, Kaeden, Levi, Matthew, and James. Aunt Linda loved all her nephews and nieces-Jim (Laura), Steve (Katherine), Rom (Debbie), Jack, and Erica (Daniel), great nephews and nieces-Brandon (Alex), Kiera, Jordan, Joeli, Lydia, Elisa, Kevin, Chrissy, Orion, and Bella as well as great-great nephews, Zaiydan and Braxley. There are many other treasured family members and those she considered family—all these people were important to her and part of her legacy as well.

She loved the Lord her God and believed what the Bible said about Him in a simple yet unwavering way, claiming Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior. His work of salvation and how He would save anyone who believed in Him for that salvation was of utmost importance to her. She wanted to share this Truth about life with those who she loved.

A Celebration of Life service for Linda will be held at 2:00 PM on Sunday, October 22, 2023, at Anthem Church at 251 W. Miles Ave in Hayden, Idaho. In honor of Linda, please consider wearing purple as it was her favorite color.