MELITA TAYLOR RITES LAST SUNDAY

Melita Guernsey Taylor passed away Thursday night in an Omaha hospital after a very brief illness at the age of 81 years, 2 months and 2 days. She was born in Ohio, the daughter of Rev. and Mrs. G. W. Taylor. When she was 14 years of age she and her mother came from Ohio to join her father who had made the trip to Nebraska in a covered wagon. They established a home in Blair. Miss Taylor was one of the early graduates of the Blair High School, and taught school for a number of years. She made her home on East Nebraska Street with her brother, Henry, who preceded her in death in 1941.

Miss Taylor took an active interest in community life. She was an active member of the Baptist church for 61 years, teaching in the Sunday School and guiding the interests of the Missionary Society that was first organized in her mother’s home over 60 years ago. She was a member of The Welcome Rebekah Lodge for 56 years and was State President of the Rebekah Assembly in Nebraska in 1906.

Miss Taylor’s frank and sincere way made for her many friends in this community. She was the last of her immediate family to go. She leaves a number of nieces and nephews: Mrs. Harold Stewart and Fred Taylor of Blair; Ed of Denver; Carlton of Salina, Kansas; Ivan of Reinbeck, Iowa; Paul of Omaha; Gwen (Mrs. Smith), Nell (Mrs. Fletcher), Arlene (Mrs. Warrick), and Max and Bryan, all of Whittier, California. There is also a number of nieces and nephews residing in Ohio.

Funeral services were held last Sunday at the Baptist Church at 1:30 pm., and interment was made in the Blair cemetery.

#2-Pilot Tribune 7 Oct. 1943

Miss Melita Taylor Dead

Blairite Since 1876 Succumbs: Services Held At Baptist Church

Resident of Blair since seven years after the city was founded, and long a leader in church and lodge affairs, Miss Melita Taylor died last Thursday night in an Omaha hospital after a brief illness. She was 81 years old this summer. Miss Taylor had resided at 419 East Nebraska Street with her brother Henry, who died in 1941.

Funeral services, with arrangements in charge of the Campbell Mortuary, were held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at First Baptist Church, of which Miss Taylor had been a member 61 years. The Rev. D. D. Kennedy gave the sermon, lauding the memory of Miss Taylor and her many years of service to church and community. Interment was in Blair Cemetery.

Melita Gurnsey Taylor, daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. G. W. Taylor, was born in Ohio. When 14 years old she and her mother came to Blair to join the Rev. Mr. Taylor, who had made the trip to Nebraska by covered wagon.

Former Teacher Here

Miss Taylor was one of the early graduates of Blair High School, and later served a number of years as a teacher.

She was active in all affairs of her church, serving as a Sunday school teacher, and guiding the interests of the Baptist Missionary Society, which was organized more than 60 years ago at her mother’s home. She was for 56 years a member of Welcome Rebekah Lodge and in 1906 served as state president of the Nebraska Rebekah Assembly. Despite her advanced age, Miss Taylor remained active in both church and lodge affairs to the time of her death.

Miss Taylor was the last surviving member of the immediate family which came here in the early days. She leaves many nephews and nieces in Ohio, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas and California. Among them are Mr. J. Harold Stewart and Fred Taylor, both of Blair; Ed Taylor, Denver; Carleton Taylor, Salina, Kan.; Ivan Taylor, Reinbeck, Ia.; Paul Taylor, Omaha; and Mrs. Gwen Smith, Mrs. Neil Fletcher, Max and Byron Taylor and Mrs. Arlene Warrick, all of Whittier, Calif.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

Find a Grave Memorial #50921946