Tamara Tippets Lockhart

Tamara Tippets Lockhart passed away peacefully early Saturday morning, June 3, 2023, surrounded by her three daughters, daughter-in-law and granddaughter. She caught a cold earlier in the week and by Thursday it had developed into pneumonia. Her passing was quick, tender and pain free.

Tamara was born on July 23, 1938, to Glenna Wood and Don Harold Tippets in Logan, Utah. Weighing in at 5 pounds at birth she grew to only 4'10" in height, but was mighty in spirit. She began school in a one room schoolhouse in Devil's Tower, Wyo., where her mother was the teacher. She was so smart she skipped the 3rd grade. Tamara graduated from Thermopolis Hot Springs County High School, Wyo., when she was 16 years old. She was in High School plays, in the speech club, and played the french horn and percussion in the band. She also worked at the local drug store. Tamara had a passion for playing the piano from the time she was a small girl. Her tiny hands would fly up and down the keyboard.

She attended Brigham Young University and lived in the Amanda Knight Hall which was across from Heaps Brick Oven. There, she met Donald Eugene Lockhart, the love of her life. They were married on July 26, 1960, in the Idaho Falls Temple and started their adventure together. After a brief stint in Virginia where Stan was born, Don's career as an educator took them to Idaho where Jill and Mark were born. While Don finished his masters degree at BYU they had baby number 4. When Jeanette was 3 weeks old, the family moved to Washington State where Don was a teacher, principal and acting superintendent in Klickitat. Joy joined the family as baby number 5.

Tamara's father and brother along with many others helped build their dream home in Lyle, Wash. Little did they know that life was about to change when Don's health took a turn for the worse. Tamara ran a preschool during this time, taught elementary school, and still managed to have a 6th baby, Matt.

The Lockhart family moved to Portland where Don sought treatment for his health issues while providing for his family. Then it was back to Lyle and after a few years they moved to Lester, Wash., the smallest town in the state. Tamara lived by faith and supported her husband through thick and thin, even through a liver transplant in 1984 soon after it was taken off of the experimental list.

After Don's retirement they settled in Enumclaw, Wash., where Tamara continued to teach school, and earned her Masters Degree. Soon after she was diagnosed with diabetes and started to lose her eyesight. She faced this challenge like all her others, with optimism and faith.

With both retired, Don and Tamara moved to Lubbock, Texas, and then to Hope Mills, N.C., wanting to be close to one or more of their children. Tamara will always be remembered in Hope Mills for her dedication to walking and exercising. She was often spotted walking around town and greeting neighbors on the way. Don passed away in 2006. Soon after, Tamara was able to fulfill a life long dream of moving back to her beloved hometown of Thermopolis, Wyo. She was so happy being with her mom and sister. In 2021, when she was no longer able to live independently, she moved to Pleasant Grove, Utah, where Stan and Michelle took good care of her until she passed away.

Tamara was an accomplished pianist and gave up a career in music to get married. It seemed like she was always giving piano lessons and accompanying musical numbers. She played the organ at church for decades until she couldn't see the music anymore. She always had a song in her head and it usually came out in singing, humming or whistling. She loved the gospel of Jesus Christ and was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She taught elementary school for many years and loved her students and they loved her.

Many of the miracles we saw in our family were because of her unwavering faith. Tamara had a special gift to make others feel loved and special. She was perpetually cheerful and was an eternal optimist. Not only did she see the glass as half full, she could see the glass when no one else could. Even during her declining health she never complained, and always remained grateful and appreciative.

We will miss our sweet mother but are so grateful that she is reunited with our father and other loved ones.

Tamara is survived by her children, Stan (Michelle) Lockhart, Jill (Tom) Rea, Mark (LeAnn) Lockhart, Jeanette (Bob) Hales, Joy (Dave) Martin, Matt (Courtney) Lockhart; 18 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; siblings, Elvis (Anne) Tippets, Ashby (Sue) Tippets, Melene Mierzejewski, Jeryl Don (Joyce) Tippets.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 17 at Olpin Family Mortuary, 494 South 300 East, Pleasant Grove. Family and friends may attend a viewing from 10 - 10:45 a.m. prior to funeral services. Condolences may sent to http://www.olpinmortuary.com.