Micheal Tappan

Micheal Thurman Tappan, 62, "has gone before us into the presence of the Lord," on Oct. 18, 2008, in the Philippines where he had been a pastor and missionary for the last 22 years. Death was due to natural causes.

Micheal was born Sept. 5, 1946, in Minneapolis, the son of Thurman and Helen (Lubke) Tappan. He was raised in Wyoming and Montana, graduating from Whitefish High School.

His life interests were love of God, the military, hunting, flying (pilot), scuba diving, computers and all electrical gadgets.

Micheal joined the Navy right out of high school, serving in the Vietnam War. Upon his Naval discharge, he became an officer for the Great Falls Police Department. He left the police department to join the Green Berets, an elite branch of the Army.

He and Carol Riley, of Kalispell, were married July 8, 1971, in North Carolina, where he was stationed.

Micheal went from service to his beloved country to serving his beloved Lord and Savior. His unique combination of spirituality and earthiness was refreshing. He and his wife Carol and their children Joshua, Caleb and Sarah left for the Philippines in 1987 to begin a ministry that would continue until the end of his life.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Helen and Thurman Tappan.

He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Carol; sons Joshua Tappan and wife Patricia, of Colorado, and Caleb Tappan and wife Kara, of North Carolina; daughter Sarah McGill and husband Darrell, of Texas; six grandchildren; sisters Janet Minnerly, of Great Falls, and Nancy Weir, of Anderson, Calif.; brother William Tappan, of Whitefish; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Micheal will be remembered as more than a "character" but a man who had character.

A memorial service will be held at the New Covenant Church, 436 Birch Grove Road, in Kalispell on Friday, Oct. 31, at 11 a.m. Burial services with full military honors will take place at the Church of the Rock, in Sunburst, on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 11 a.m.