Verla (TAYLOR) VARNER TAYLOR

TAYLOR, VARNER, FIGGINS, WATSON, ROUTH, JONES, PERRY, SLAYBAUGH, GREGOR, BARTLES, BLANSIT, HANCOCK, WHITE, IRVAN, PARKS

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 3/10/2009 at 02:43:24

OBITUARY - VERLA (TAYLOR) VARNER TAYLOR

Verla Dean TAYLOR, was born on December 21, 1919, in the TAYLOR family home west of Diagonal, IA and died December 2, 2008, at Ringgold County Hospital in Mount Ayr, Iowa. She was the youngest child of the 10 children born to James Riley and Nellie May (FIGGINS) TAYLOR. Verla Dean attended country school at Lincoln #7 [also known as Taylor School] until her freshman year when she enrolled at Diagonal High School, graduating with the class of 1938.

On June 22, 1940, Verla Dean married Paul VARNER and they began their married life in Diagonal. To this union two children were born, Bradford and Janet. During forty years of marriage, Paul and Verla Dean were partners in several business ventures including a restaurant, a furniture store and a bowling alley. However, it was the funeral business for which they were probably best known. Together they operated Varner Funeral Homes in Clearfield, Diagonal and Tingley. In 1979 they teamed up with a young man named Jay WATSON to become Varner-Watson Funeral Home. In 1961 the VARNERS formed a partnership with the ROUTH family and built Clearview Homes in Clearfield, IA which later grew to include a larger nursing home facility in Mount Ayr. After Paul’s death on February 15, 1981, Verla Dean moved to their lake home on Lake Viking near Gallatin, MO where she made many friends.

On June 5, 1983, Verla Dean married Clyde TAYLOR and they enjoyed many years together living at the lake. They later moved to Mount Ayr where Clyde died on January 9, 2005. Verla Dean spent several years living at Clearview Estates in Mount Ayr and then moved back home to Clearfield to spend her final years in Clearview [Nursing Home].

Verla Dean loved spending time with her family and friends. She also was an avid bridge player, enjoyed music and dancing and rarely missed a TAYLOR Reunion. Verla Dean was member of the United Methodist Church in Gallatin, MO and a member of the Eastern Star.

Preceding Verla Dean in death were her parents, JR and Nellie TAYLOR; husbands Paul VARNER and Clyde TAYLOR; brothers Forrest TAYLOR, Harold TAYLOR, Floyd TAYLOR, Clifford TAYLOR and Wayne TAYLOR: sisters Rena Belle TAYLOR, Frances PARKRE and Bessie JONES PERRY; son-in-law Jerry SLAYBAUGH; and grandson Jeffrey VARNER.

Those who survive Verla Dean are her son Brad VARNER (Anna Eileen) of Oak Grove, MO; her daughter Jan SLAYBAUGH of Independence, MO; grandson Greg SLAYBAUGH (Heather) of Lee's Summit, MO, granddaughter Lori (Bob) GREGOR of Lenexa, KS and granddaughter Bobbi Jo BARTLES (Jeff) of Clarinda; step-grandchildren Tiffany BLANSIT, Leah PARKS, and Gabriel HANCOCK; great-grandchildren Anna SLAYBAUGH, Chip SLAYBAUGH, Charlie SLAYBAUGH, Libby GREGOR, Sara GREGOR, Taylor BANKS, Tyson BANKS, Trey WHITE and Tanner WHITE; step-great grandchildren Felecia and Kayla IRVAN, Jackson and Abigail BLANSIT and Brady and Elayna PARKS; one great-great granddaughter, Kylie. She also will be missed by her sister, Velma AVERY of Fort Myers, Florida, sisters-in-law Lorabel TAYLOR and Galene VARNER; many nieces, nephews and other relatives and a host of friends.

Source: http://www.funeralplan2.com/watsonarmstrongfh/obits