Surrounded by her children, our beloved mother, Gertrude Bell Hair Taylor, entered Heaven’s portals on Monday, June 15, 2020. Born July 4, 1923, to Charles Hair and Amanda Mae Goodwin Hair, in Somerset, Ky, she was one of 10 children, all of whom have now passed. She was also preceded in death by her husband, James Earl Taylor, Sr. in 1991 and a great-great grandson, Baby Grayson Oost in 2019. She was of the Baptist faith and most recently attended Immanuel Baptist Church on Highway 54 and Garden Grace Chapel. She loved Gospel hymns and was particularly fond of Sweet By and By, How Beautiful Heaven Must Be and I’ll Fly Away.
She held many positions outside the home over her lifetime, including riveting airplanes at Republic Aviation during World War II, perhaps better known as a Rosie the Riveter. She also worked at Gant’s Egg Company for many years. From the late 1960’s until 1976 she and her late husband, Jim, owned and operated Jim’s Grocery in Deanefield, Kentucky. During that time, mom took it as her personal responsibility to keep a well stocked store and to treat everyone as she would have wanted to be treated.
She worked at the old Owensboro Daviess County Hospital in the emergency room for a few years and at the Fordsville Nursing Home. A caregiver at heart, mom enrolled at a community college in Arizona at the age of 67 and became a certified home health aide. After which, she worked as a private duty sitter and senior companion for several years.
She was a wonderful mother and a terrific cook who always cooked a little extra and anyone was always welcome at her table. She loved having birthday parties and holiday meals at Garden Grace Apartments where she lived for about 11 years. Every resident in the building was invited and she truly enjoyed her family and friends stopping by to say hello and enjoy a plate of food.
Mom was an avid reader, and especially loved reading her Bible, which she read faithfully every day. She enjoyed learning and saw the importance of getting a good education which she encouraged all her children to do.
She loved her family dearly and always told us “to get along with each other and keep getting together even when I’m gone.” Although she leaves a void in our hearts, we are grateful for that precious promise that one day we will see her again “in a land where we’ll never grow old.”
She is survived by her sons: Jim Taylor, Jr. (Janice Brown), Eddie Taylor (Stella), David Taylor, and Larry Wayne Taylor, daughters: Patricia Whitler (Roger), Mary Angela Johnson (Charles), Eunice Brown (Leonard) and Peggy Lake (Carey). She is also survived by 15 grandchildren, 22 great- grandchildren, and 9 great-great grandchildren, her sister-in-law Eula Taylor, and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank Jana Powers, manager of Garden Grace Apartments and all mom’s friends there for their kindness and understanding during her illness. A special thank you also to the wonderful staff at Heartland Villa for their excellent, compassionate care.
Mom dearly loved children and would appreciate a donation made in her memory to The Goodfellows Club of Owensboro, 401 Frederica St, B203, Owensboro, Ky. 42303.
Services will be at 11 a.m. on Friday in the chapel at James H. Davis Funeral Home & Crematory. Burial will follow in Resurrection Cemetery. Visitation is from 3 to 7 p.m. on Thursday and after 10 a.m. on Friday at the funeral home.
The number of those attending the visitation or funeral service shall be with current health and safety directives. Family and friends shall wear appropriate personal protective masks.
Gertrude’s funeral services will be available for viewing at www.davisfuneralhome.com