Lydia Taylor 1882-1970

TAYLOR KOHL STENZEL

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/31/2009 at 14:33:05

Onawa Democrat
22 September 1970

Lydia Stenzel, daughter of Gottlieb and Wilhelmina Kohl Stenzel, was born in a sod house eight miles from Lindsey, Nebr. On Febr. 16, 1882. Her parents were pioneers in Nebraska.

She had four brothers; Charles, Edward, Albert and Louis and three sisters, Louisa, Bertha and Julia. Lydia was the next to the youngest in her family. All of her brothers and sisters preceded her in death. Due to her mother being an invalid from a serious heart condition at the age of 11 years, Lydia took on all the duties of the house and the care of her mother and younger brothers.

On March 11, 1903 she was united in marriage to Edward L Taylor at her parents homestead. In 1907 they moved from Nebraska to a homestead 15 miles from Phillips, S.D. where they lived until 1913, when they moved to Redfield, SD where they farmed 21 years. They have lived in the Moorhead area for 30 years and they also spent six years in the Dunlap area.

Mother Taylor passed from this earthly life on July 11, 1970 after a month in the Onawa Hospital, having fallen and broken her hip. She leaves her aged husband, Edward, after 67 wonderful years of married life; her son, Glenn Taylor and his wife, Lucille of Redfield, SD; son Weston Taylor and wife Theressa, Moorhead, Iowa; daughter Lois Taylor Purves and husband Rolland, Lemon Groves, Calif., eight grandchildren; Jack Taylor, his wife Virginia, Mundelein, ILL, Maxine Marshall and husband, Glen, Hitchcock, SD; Jerry Taylor, Sioux City, Iowa; Pratt Garretson and husband, Dennis, Bremerton, Wash; Lydia Poe and husband, Robert, Council Bluffs, Iowa; seven great grandchildren, Sherri, Jack Jr. and Amy Taylor; Richard, Gary and Terry Marshall and Renea Poe.

Mother Taylor was a kind, loving wife, mother and grandmother. She was most unselfish, always thinking of and helping others and giving of herself. Her life was one devoted to loved ones and she really loved people. She accepted Christ as her Savior when she was a young girl and has always loved and served Him. Even in her declining years, as her memory became dim due to hardening of the arteries, she would quote many verses from the Bible. She remembered the old Gospel songs and also prayed much. She will be missed by those who knew and loved her and will be remembered by a host of friends.

Services were held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 15, at the Christian Church in Moorhead, Iowa with the Rev. Oscar Barrows officiating. Magnus Jepson sang :The Old Rugged Cross” and “Abide With Me”, accompanied by Mrs. Wayne Outhouse at the organ. Bearers were Raymond Fredrickson, Arthur Fredrickson, Andy Ballantye, Elmer Cash, Roger DeLance and Leland Lantz. Interment was in Spring Valley Cemetery near Moorhead with arrangements by the Pearson Funeral Home in Onawa, Iowa.