Mary Elizabeth Taylor, 1909-2007

Mary Elizabeth Taylor, 98, died Monday, June 11, 2007, at The Arbors in Columbia.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday, June 18, at Missouri United Methodist Church with the Rev. Jim Bryan officiating. Visitation will be from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the church parlor. Burial will be at Columbia Cemetery.

She was born May 30, 1909, to Ila Gene Dinkle and Julius F. Brossart in Columbia.

Elizabeth began her education in Columbia, attending Grant School, Columbia High School (Class of 1926) and the University of Missouri, where she graduated with a bachelor of science in education in 1930. While attending the university she was initiated into Pi Lambda Theta education honorary society. She also served as chapter president of her sorority, Alpha Chi Omega.

She married her high school sweetheart, Jack C. Taylor, on Feb. 25, 1932. They soon moved to Sedalia, where their first son, David B. Taylor, was born. Later, the family moved to Canton, Ill., where a second son, Robert W. Taylor, was born. A third son, James S. Taylor, was born in Chicago.

Her husband, Jack, who preceded her in death in 1997, was widely known as Mayor Timothy Hays of Whoopup, Mo., a comedic character who told one-liners to audiences all over the nation.

After living in New York, the family returned in 1945 to Columbia. Elizabeth started a career as a schoolteacher at Ridgeway school in 1953. Later, she taught at Grant school, where she replaced her retiring mother, Mrs. Ila Gene Brossart, in the fourth-grade classroom. After completing a master’s degree in library science, Mrs. Taylor moved to the school district’s central library at Douglass school. Her duties there required visiting several grade schools to coordinate library activities. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and several other educational organizations. She retired from the school district in 1975.

In her retirement years, she devoted her energies to her growing family and her church. Her church life had begun in 1918, when she joined the Broadway Methodist Episcopal Church, predecessor to the Missouri United Methodist Church. Her activities at the church included circles, prayer groups, hand bells and committees.

She is survived by her children, David of New York, Robert of Columbia and James of Maple Hill, Kan.; 14 surviving grandchildren are Jack, Quentin, Cameron, Adam, Ben, Stephen, Maria, Paul, Michael, Matthew, Mark, Rachel, Anna and John Taylor; and four great-grandchildren. Beloved niece Jeanne Brossart and nephew Dr. Frederick Brossart also survive.

Three grandchildren preceded her in death. They were Clare Taylor, Marcel Taylor and Mary Jeanne Taylor.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Columbia School District Elementary Libraries or Missouri United Methodist Church.

Arrangements are under the direction of Parker Funeral Service, (573) 449-4153.

 

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