Taylor, Ralph 1929-2006

TAYLOR, MIERAS, GAMBLE

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, Volunteer (email)
Date: 5/30/2008 at 20:26:05

LE MARS, Iowa -- Ralph Taylor, 77, of rural Le Mars passed away Monday, Aug. 14, 2006, at Indian Hills Nursing and Rehab Center in Sioux City.

Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at First Plymouth Presbyterian Church, 16119 Hickory Ave, rural Le Mars, with the Rev. Randall B. Knuth officiating. Burial will be in First Plymouth Presbyterian Cemetery. Visitation will be after 3 p.m. Friday, with the family present after 5:30 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Carlsen Funeral Home in Le Mars. Visitation will resume from noon until service time Saturday at the church.

Ralph Victor Taylor was born April 25, 1929, in Akron, Iowa, the son of Victor and Dena (Mieras) Taylor. He was raised on the family homestead in Preston Township. He attended country school in Preston Township and later graduated from Le Mars Central High School in 1948. Following high school, he attended Nebraska Teacher's College in Wayne, Neb. from 1948 to 1950. He served his country during the Korean Conflict in the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1953.

He was united in marriage to Marilyn A. Gamble on July 15, 1951, in Wayne, Neb. The Taylor farm was purchased from the U.S. government in 1870 by his grandfather, Elkanah Taylor. When he began farming the land, he became only the third person to farm the land since homesteading. He continued to farm until his retirement in 1998. Marilyn passed away March 21, 1997.

He was a lifetime member of First Plymouth Presbyterian Church. Through the years, he had served the church as an elder, trustee, Sunday School teacher, cemetery board and wherever else he could volunteer. He had also served as the Preston Township clerk for many years. The couple enjoyed music and going dancing. He was very much a steward of the land. He was a meticulous farmer and took great pride in maintaining the appearance of his farm.

Survivors include three daughters, Debra Stoos of Omaha, Lisa and her husband, James Greenfield, of Sioux Falls, S.D., and Jill Taylor-Oetken of Omaha; a brother, W. Robert Taylor of Boone, Iowa; grandchildren, Jeffrey Stoos and his wife, Lori, of Pleasant Hill, Calif., Adam Stoos of Overland Park, Kan., Kari Tooker Blythe and her husband, John Blythe, of Camarillo, Calif., Nicholas Tooker and his wife, Amanda, of Tolleson, Ariz., Kristin Tooker of Camarillo, Calif., Jamie Greenfield of Omaha, Jared Greenfield of Sioux Falls, S.D., Matthew Greenfield of Sioux Falls and Laurel Oetken of Omaha; two great-granddaughters, Caitlin and Sydnee Stoos of Pleasant Hill, Calif.; in-laws, Stanley and Anna Gamble of Elkton, Va., Lyle and Joyce Gamble of Seward, Neb., Bill and Pat Gamble of Broken Bow, Neb., Pat Gamble of Florida, and Loren Ellis of Wayne, Neb.; several nieces and nephews; and many friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Victor and Dena (Mieras) Taylor; his wife, Marilyn Taylor in 1997; a daughter, Lori Tooker in 1995; and a son-in-law, Steven Oetken in 1998.

Pallbearers will be Roger Gamble, Jerry Marple, Kevin Bronzynski, Todd Popken, Jim Siebens and Mark Borchers. Honorary pallbearers will be all his grandchildren.

~Source: The Sioux City Journal