Elaine Tapp Berger Obituary (1934 - 2018)

1934 ~ 2018 Elaine Tapp Berger, a 54 year breast cancer survivor, died on May 21, 2018 at the age of 84. Elaine was born in Cottonwood, Utah on April 8, 1934, to Orland “Brig” Lavell Tapp and Hattie Irene Hammer Tapp. On April 27, 1950, Elaine married her sweetheart, Blaine Rex Berger. Together, Blaine and Elaine raised five children. Elaine stayed busy. For 55 years, she was an avid bowler, inducted into the Salt Lake Women’s Bowling Association Hall of Fame in 1995 and she served for 23 years on the Salt Lake Women’s Bowling Association Board of Directors. Elaine was employed for 26 years in casualty and property insurance. She and Blaine were self-described road rats. When not wandering the Utah west desert, they camped, fished and bowled their way across 46 states. They enjoyed 17 years at their cabin in Fruitland, which sported an 18-hole scrub tree and dirt golf course fondly known by family and friends as “Ricochet Ranch”. Elaine was dedicated to hobbies and crafts such as needlepoint on canvas, stamp collecting, ceramics and genealogy. She created over 50 albums of photographs and research. Her genealogical research included visiting obscure grave sites, cleaning and photographing grave markers and headstones, researching death histories and then posting the photographs and histories to websites such as Find A Grave. She received numerous grateful acknowledgments from individuals able to locate lost family information because of her work. As she lost mobility, she continued her dedication to hobbies and crafts by becoming an accomplished artist of intricate colorings. Elaine is survived by her husband of 68 years, Blaine and by children; Terry (Carol) of Boise, Idaho; Kathy “Katie” (Nancy) of Bellingham, Washington; Kent of Bellingham Washington; Carolyn “Crayola” (Scott) of Sandy, Utah; brother, John; 6 grandchildren; 8 great grandchildren; numerous “step” grandchildren and great grandchildren. She is also survived by her dearest friend, Linda White and special family friend, Nancy Ivarinen. She is preceded in death by son, Eric, and grandson, Jacob. Please remember Elaine by donating to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, https://donate.nationalbreastcancer.org/ An evening viewing will be held Tuesday, May 29, 2018, from 6-8 p.m. at Jenkins-Soffe Mortuary, 4760 South State Street. Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, May 30, 2018, 11:00 a.m., at Little Cottonwood 20th Ward, 1160 E. Vine St., with a viewing prior from 10-10:45 a.m. Interment: Murray City Cemetery. Online condolences may be shared at www.jenkins-soffe.com.