Tamara C. Iler

Tamara Cheryl Iler (Samuel) 62, Born 6/23/1963 and passed 9/1/2025 at Rock Point Nursing Center in Birch Tree, Missouri after a short battle with cancer.

She was preceded in death by her father and stepmother, Charles and Ollie Samuel, by her mother, Lucretia White, two sisters, Denny Sue Samuel and Constance Smith. She is survived by her brother, Steven Collins and wife Kay of Finger, Tennessee, and sister, Alicia and husband Edward Thomas of Bland, Missouri, her daughter Andrea Iler Kile of Birch Tree Missouri, her grandchildren Nikolas Iler of Winona, Missouri and Addison McNabb of Birch Tree, Missouri.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri to Charles and Lucretia Samuel, Tammy was a talented pianist, who studied and practiced classical piano since childhood. She loved music but especially Pop and Rock music from the 60’s and beyond! She also loved to sing and dance and would put on “variety shows” in the back yard and dance routines in the living room growing up in St. Louis.

She was an excellent student not only with her academic studies but with her piano as well. She graduated from St. Elizabeth Academy of St. Louis in 1981, worked for Blue Cross and Blue Shield Insurance for five years and was very successful.

In 1985, Tammy married Kenneth Iler, to this union a daughter, Andrea Nicole was born.

Tammy had a whole lifetime ahead, but in 1987 chronic mental illness would have the last word and determine hers and our families lifelong battle and journey with Schizophrenia, Depression and Schizoid Disorder. She wanted to be a good mother and wife and live a full happy, normal life taking care of her family, working, and just living, but the disease stole that from her and us. Living in facilities that were sometimes hundreds of miles from family made connections hard.

She spent most of her adult life in residential facilities, nursing and group homes and a two-year stay at the state mental hospital. Sometimes she received the proper care, sometimes not. Sometimes the medicines worked, sometimes they did not. She always appreciated a visit, phone call, card or outing. She had a fetish with make-up and clothes and collected massive amounts of both. She loved to dress up! She also loved purses and the bigger the better! And boy could she stuff them!

She had an ability to make friends wherever she went and was known by name at the local discount shops and goodwill stores where she shopped on frequent outings. She formed some very close bonds with several of her fellow residents and losing those relationships when she would be forced to move or lose her place at the homes was a hard loss each time. She also had an uncanny ability to escape almost each and every facility she was ever in! Did I mention she was smart? She was smart and brave and strong.

She had a big laugh and it was contagious when she got tickled about something! She kept her sense of humor by telling jokes, some not always appropriate at the time, but funny none-the-less. She loved animals, especially cats and truly enjoyed the homes and facilities where dogs, cats, and or birds resided. She loved Mountain Dew soda, cigarettes, and Klondike ice cream bars. She was a lovely person with a good spirit and had much to overcome in her 62 years of life. She will be sorely missed by those that loved her.