Neal Allen Tapps

Neal Allen Tapps passed away Thursday, March 13, 2025 in Tyler, Texas at the age of 72. He was born March 17, 1952 in Mason City, Iowa to LuVerne Richard and Doris Elaine (Hochhaus) Tapps.

He enjoyed scuba diving, repairing scuba equipment, traveling to exotic locations, watching White Sox baseball games, cooking and taking naps with his Aussie Doodle, Foxi, in his lap. After attending 2 years of college with a major in Marine Biology, he discovered he loved to scuba dive. He attended the Florida P.A.D.I College and was certified as a Scuba Diving instructor in September 1977. He lived and worked as a dive instructor in Guam for almost 5 years racking up over 5,000 dives while there and has since increased to over 7,000 dives. He moved to East Texas and opened his own dive shop, 'Scuba Center', in Tyler in 1984. He also taught diving at Kilgore College for many years. He made many friends during the years owning his own dive shop.

Neal is preceded in death by his parents, LuVerne 'Ben' and Doris Tapps.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Penny; stepson, Andrew and wife, Rebekah Arnold; brothers and their wives; Lee and Linda Tapps, Kurt and Joan Tapps, Craig and Diana Tapps; uncle, Larry Hochhaus; five grandchildren, two great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation 1:00 PM Saturday, April 12, 2025, 1876 Chapel at Walnut Grove, 10200 FM 344, Whitehouse, Texas 75791.

Memorial Service, 2:00 PM, Saturday, April 12, 2025, 1876 Chapel at Walnut Grove, 10200 FM 344, Whitehouse, Texas 75791. Reception to follow.