A woman found dead Tuesday morning inside a recreational vehicle parked at the Vineyard Christian Fellowship church has been identified as Livermore resident Chris Tripp, officials said. She was 45.
Police said there were no obvious signs of foul play when Tripp was found deceased. The coroner's office has scheduled an autopsy to determine a cause of death.
Tripp's mother, Linda Nidever-Galles of Livermore, said her daughter was homeless, had a health condition and had experienced mild heart attacks the past several months.
Nidever-Galles remembers her daughter as a caring person that would never hesitate to help others.
Tripp also helped out and volunteered at the Open Heart Kitchen program, which serves hot meals to the area's homeless.
She also struggled with drug addiction and schizophrenia.
"Chris was a joy and a heartache all in one person," Nidever-Galles said.
"It’s a tough world and all you can say when your child is addicted is that you never get a call like this," she said of receiving word of Tripp's passing. "And you know someday you will, but that doesn’t make it any easier."
Sandra Chesterman of the Livermore Homeless Refuge said the community is shocked and saddened by Tripp's death.
"Chris was a very nice lady and was really trying to live a better life," Chesterman said.
Tripp is a 1986 graduate of Granada High and attended a culinary academy in San Francisco.
She is survived by her son, Christopher Tripp of Union City; her fiance', Al Roark of Livermore; her father, Gary Tripp of Portland; her mother, Linda Nidever-Galles of Livermore; her step-father, Harry Galles of Livermore; her brother, Cory Tripp of Livermore; and many friends and extended family.
A memorial service is being planned sometime next week after the Christmas holiday, Nidever-Galles said.
I wish so much that people could understand the homeless and mentally disabled people. Not be afraid of them and accept them as human beings who have feelings. Chris taught me so very much. The first is to be humble, accept life as it is and embrace it. Let people be who they are and not what you (a mom) wants them to be. She would give you the shirt off your back. One of my most frustrating experiences with her is she would say, 'I met so and so today and they really needed help so I gave them $2 of the $3 I had.' My response would always be: Take care of your needs. Her response: They were really in need of help.
What a kid.
—Linda Nidever-Galles on her late daughter, Chris Tripp
