Reverend Lawrence Eugene Tapp, age 82, of Ocean Springs, MS, passed away on Sunday, April 13, 2014, in Ocean Springs.
Bro. Tapp was a native of Tennessee and called the coast home since 1959. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He served as a Baptist minister for 42 years; Area churches included Bellehaven Baptist Church in Ocean Springs, East Howard Baptist Church in Biloxi, First Baptist Church of Windsor Park in Ocean Springs and Millcreek Baptist Church in Picayune.
Bro. Tapp was preceded in death by his parents, Louis H. Tapp and Estelle Wilson Tapp, and three brothers, Herman Tapp, Harry Tapp and Jimmy Tapp.
Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Daisy Potts Tapp, two daughters, Brenda (Galynn) Wilson and Laura (Joseph) Noble, two sisters, Claudine Tapp and Cathleen (John) Siler, four brothers, George (Frances) Tapp, William (Dee) Tapp, Jerry (Tressa) Tapp and Wayne (Gatha) Tapp, three sisters-in-law, Delorise Tapp, Barbara Tapp and Inga Tapp, four grandchildren, Michelle (Clay) McArdle, Rachel Noble, Erin Abernathy and Katie (Jon) Bagwell and three great-grandchildren, Olivia McArdle, Jackson McArdle and Abigale Luck.
Visitation will be Thursday, April 17, 2014, from 9am until 11am, with an 11 am church service, all at the First Baptist Church of Windsor Park. Burial will follow in Biloxi National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers the family prefers donations be made to Gideons International, P.O. Box 4378, Biloxi, MS 39535.
The Ocean Springs Chapel of Bradford O'Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.