Ernest Tapp Jr.

Published 12:00 am Friday, January 11, 2008

Ernest Tapp Jr., 91, of Bowling Green died at 5:20 a.m. Jan. 11, 2008, at his residence.

The Henderson native was born Dec. 13, 1916. He was the former owner of Tapp’s A&W Root Beer on Old Morgantown Road, the former owner of Old Southern Caf/ in Horse Cave and was retired as food service manager of the Snack Bar at Western Kentucky University. He was a member of Mars Hill Church of Christ, an avid hunter and fisherman and supported WKU basketball. He built P-47 aircraft during World War II. He was a son of the late Ernest Tapp Sr. and Sallie Brann Tapp and the husband of the late Lottie Gill Tapp. He was preceded in death by five brothers, Finis, Thurman, Jimmy, Oather and Leroy; and two sisters, Ruth Winsor and Hattie Gamble.

Funeral is at 2 p.m. Monday at J.C. Kirby & Son Funeral Home, Lovers Lane chapel, with burial in Fairview Cemetery No. 2. Visitation is from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday and begins at 9 a.m. Monday at the funeral home.

Online condolences may be made at www.jckirbyandson.com.

Survivors include three sons, Dr. John C. Tapp and his wife, Anna, and Randall J. Tapp Sr. and his fiancee, Mary Patton, all of Bowling Green, and Fred Allen Tapp and his wife, Lynda, of Danville, Ill.; a daughter, Patricia Tapp Ennis and her husband, Thomas, of Bowling Green; nine grandchildren, John R. Tapp, Gregory P. Tapp, Julie Ennis Germschied, William T. Ennis, Randall J. Tapp Jr., Sonja Tapp Hatler, Erin Jacobs, Lauren Tapp and Megan Tapp; 12 great-grandchildren; five stepgrandchildren; and six great-stepgrandchildren.