TAYLOR, Benjamin "Ben" J 1908 - 1999

TAYLOR, MINNELEY, VANDEVORT, WELTY

Posted By: Richard K. Thompson (email)
Date: 5/11/2011 at 16:08:02

Fairfield Ledger
Monday July 19, 1999

Benjamin J. TAYLOR

Benjamin J. TAYLOR, 91, 304 S. Main St., died at 7:45 p.m. Friday, July 16, 1999, at the Jefferson County Hospital Long-Term Care Unit.

The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Ken Kent officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery. Open visitation will be from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at Raymond Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church or the Southeast Iowa Antique Car Club.

Mr. TAYLOR was born April 3, 1908, in Fairfield, the son of Dean and Jessie I. MINNELEY TAYLOR. He married Lucile VANDEVORT July 29, 1939, at a Methodist church in Des Moines. She died Sept. 8, 1994.

Mr. TAYLOR graduated (sic. was graduated) from Fairfield High School in 1926, and from Parsons College in 1930. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. When he was released from active duty, he returned to Fairfield to work at the Fairfield Daily Ledger until his retirement in 1969.

He was a member of First United Methodist Church, where he was a leader for many years; Fairfield Lions Club, of which he had more than 50 years of perfect attendance and was named Lion of the Year; Wit and Wisdom Club; Carnegie Historical Museum board; Jefferson County Historical Preservation Society; Genealogy Society; Southeast Iowa Antique Car Club; Midwest Old Settlers and Threshers Association, of which he was a frequent contributor to their newsletter The Thresher's Chaff; and Clinton Lodge #15 A.F. and A.M.

He was a former member of the Fairfield Public LIbrary board for 27 years, serving as president for three years; Bethany Home board; Evergreen Cemetery Association board; and the board of Jefferson Savings and Loan Association.

He was a former president of the Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce and was selected at the chamber's Man of the Year in 1973.

Mr. TAYLOR was an amateur artist and created the artwork for Susan WELTY's book "A Fair Field."

Surviors include two cousins.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, James TAYLOR.

* Transcribed for genealogy purposes. I am not related to the person(s) mentioned.

Note: Buried in the TAYLOR family plot at Evergreen Cemetery, Fairfield, Iowa. 3rd.056