South Persimmon Cemetery

Woodward County, Oklahoma

© Billings Funeral Home
Submitted by: Terry Dudley

Vera Edith Taylor

June 12, 1944 ~ March 4, 2011

Funeral services for Vera E. Taylor, 66 year old Vici resident will be held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 8, 2011 in the First Baptist Church of Woodward with Dr. Russell Duck officiating. Burial will follow in the South Persimmon Cemetery under the direction of the Billings Funeral Home.

Vera Edith (Allen) Taylor was born on June 12, 1944, at Mt. View Hospital in San Luis Obispo, California to Spencer d"Huy and Edith Caroline (James) Allen. She was called home by her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on Friday, March 4, 2011 at the Seiling Hospital.

Vera spent the first eight years of her life in San Luis Obispo, California living for most of those years on Camp San Luis Obispo, an Army camp, where her Dad was the Fire Chief. At the age of eight, she moved with her family to Anchorage, Alaska, living on Elemendorf Air Force Base where her Dad served as the Base Fire Chief.

In September 1959, Vera met the love of her life, G.W., at Calvary Baptist Church in Anchorage, Alaska. They were married December 30, 1961 at Calvary Baptist Church, immediately following G.W."s discharge from the Air Force. They moved to Alva in January of 1962 where they continued their education. Vera graduated from Alva High School in May of 1962 and received her B.S. Degree in Education from NWOSU in May of 1965. G.W. and Vera lived in Medicine Lodge, Kansas, from 1964 to 1967, where they both taught in the Elementary School. In the fall of 1967 they moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where they taught in the Clark County School District. They moved to the Vici area in 1968 where they established the family farm north of Vici. Two sons were born to G.W. and Vera after they returned to Oklahoma, Justin in 1968 and Bill in 1972. Vera was extremely proud of both her sons and the wonderful men, husbands, and fathers they grew up to be. She was proud of their many accomplishments and was always interested in what they were involved in. She was delighted with the special ladies they married and considered them her daughters. She loved Melisa and Brooke as her own and enjoyed a very special relationship with both of them and loved and appreciated them for giving her four incredible beautiful granddaughters.

When Vera lost her sister-of-the-heart, Shirley Cunningham, to cancer in June of 2007, she "adopted" her daughter, Susan, as her own and they enjoyed a very close loving mother-daughter relationship. Susan treated Vera as her mother, always remembering her with cards and gifts for all occasions, especially Mothers Day. They talked on the phone every day as long as Vera was able.

Vera retired from an enjoyable and satisfying teaching career in 2001. She spent the last 24 years teaching fourth graders in the Woodward School System. Everyone who knew Vera felt her genuine concern for them. Her students and friends brightened her days as they were concerned about her as well. Even though she often went to school not feeling well, she came home saying, "I had a great day!" When the local newspaper annually released the list of valedictorians and salutatorians from Woodward, she always looked with pride that she had been a part of many of those students" lives. Often former students would tell her after graduation that their fourth grade class with her was the best year of their educational experience.

As a young women, Vera was gloriously saved and followed her Lord in baptism in the Vici Baptist Church where she played the piano and organ for almost 30 years. She also served there as treasurer for over 20 years. G.W. and Vera joined the First Baptist Church in Woodward in 1998 where they continued to worship until her death. God and their church were always an important and vital part of their lives. Vera"s prayer life and her daily Bible reading was a priority with her. She truly enjoyed her walk with God as His plan for her life was revealed and fulfilled. Although Vera had some unusual and complicated medical problems that developed in 1964 and continued until her death, she and G.W. knew the the Lord was always in control, and they were able to face those problems together with the peace and assurance that only comes from God. G.W. always saw that she got the best medical care possible, but he too, turned her health completely over to the Lord, and they were able to lead a normal, satisfying, and happy life together, never allowing her medical problems to interfere with their busy lives.

Her family continually brought her happiness and contentment. She unconditionally loved G.W., her sons and daughters and her precious granddaughters who brought her so much joy. She cherished the time she got to spend with her family. After Vera retired, she loved to go out with G.W. to feed cattle. They enjoyed being together, having "friendly" discussions in the winter over the heater in the pickup. She wanted it on Hot/High, and he opened his window because of the heat. They daily shared thermoses of coffee and cans of Diet Coke. She enjoyed her job of gate-opener but never learned to tell the cows apart. She was delighted when G.W. "Gave" her an odd-colored or blue roan cow so she could tell "hers" apart from the shorthorns. Her days were filled with joy and happiness when she was able to be with G.W.

Vera was preceded in death by her beloved fathers, Spencer Allen and Guy Taylor, her special Mother, Wilma Taylor and her dear sister of the heart, Shirley Cunningham. She is survived by her best friend, partner and husband of nearly 50 years, G.W.; her wonderful sons, Justin and his wife Melisa of Sharon and Bill and his wife Brooke of Shattuck; her mother, Edith Allen of Vici; two brothers Spence Allen and his wife Linda of San Juan Capistrano, California and Ted Halsey and his wife Gina of Los Angeles, California; Granddaughters Holley and Sadie Taylor of Sharon, and Bree and Britt Taylor of Shattuck; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Garland and Belva Taylor, Linda and Dean Cole, Sonya and Jack Williams, Trula and Mike Stevens; several nieces and nephews; very special friends Ron and Kay Littau, De Abbott and Susan White.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Cal Farley"s Boys and Girls Ranch with the funeral home receiving the contributions.

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