Katharine Jane “Katie” Tapp died Oct. 28, 2010, at Whidbey General Hospital, Coupeville, at the age of 89. She was born in Jamaica, N.Y., on Jan. 23, 1921, to William Bennett and Amanda Boyd Marks. Katie was raised in the New York City area and graduated from Richmond Hill High School. She always said she had a wonderful childhood. Each summer the family of four children was taken away from the city to either beach or mountains. She attended St. Joseph’s College for Women for two years and then on to Business College.
World War II began and Katie began working for the Navy in the Port Director’s Office. She also became an Air Raid Warden for the block where she lived, making certain no lights were showing when the air raid alarms were sounded. At work, she had the responsibility of typing up the routes for the merchant ships carrying supplies in convoy to England and Russia. The ships had to dodge the wolf pack subs waiting right off the coast of New York. She was also responsible for preparing the routing for the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth troop ships. She felt honored when thanked personally by their captains for enabling them to safely carry the thousands of troops across the Atlantic.
She went on to enlist in the U.S. Navy as a WAVE in 1943. She was assigned to the Flag NW Seat Frontier Headquarters, 13th Naval District in Seattle. She was delighted for it gave her a chance to see the rest of the country.
Katie met her husband Gus M. Tapp, an Army lieutenant, stationed at Ft. Lewis and they were married on Sept. 16, 1944. She remained in the Navy until she became pregnant with their first child and she was discharged as a Y2c. Katie and Gus went on to have two lovely daughters.
Gus was wounded in Germany and was sent back to the states. He would remain in the Army for 23 years, serving in one more war. As an Army wife, Katie traveled much of this country and enjoyed making many new friends.
Gus’s final posting was Ft. Lawton, Seattle and Katie began working there as a secretary in the Intelligence Office. She then transferred to Civil Defense which eventually became FEMA. As new opportunities for women began, she was appointed to a Field Inspector’s position. She retired from Civil Service after 21 years. She and Gus then moved to Whidbey Island. She often felt blessed to end up her days in such a beautiful part of this country.
Katie loved to play bridge, read and travel, and for many years, was an active bowler. She and Gus were pioneer volunteers with North Whidbey Help House and active in the early days at the Coupeville Library. For many years, she was a very busy volunteer at the Oak Harbor Senior Center. Recently, Katie had joined the Oak Harbor First United Methodist Church.
Katie is survived by her daughter, Aurelia Billings and husband Fred of Las Vegas; grandson Jered Billings and wife Nicole of Beaverton, Ore., and their two sons, Jered and Lincoln and brother Peter Marks and wife Greta of Harrisonburg, Va.; and by her nieces, Jill Yamane and Julie Walthall, Amy Diehl and nephews William Norton and Douglas Norton. Her husband Gus preceded her in death in 1988 and daughter Martha Tapp in 1981.
Private Family Graveside committal services will be held at Sunnyside Cemetery, Coupeville. She will be remembered during the 11 a.m. Sunday service on Jan. 23, which was her birthday, at the Oak Harbor First United Methodist Church, with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to North Whidbey Help House or the Oak Harbor Senior Center. Friends and family are invited to share memories and condolences with the family at www.wallinfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are entrusted to Wallin Funeral Home & Cremation, Oak Harbor.
