Joy Ann Williams Taylor

Joy Ann Williams Taylor was born on Oct. 12, 1934, to Gertrude Augusta Ferrell Williams and Walter Harvey Williams. She was born in Oklahoma and moved to Milo, Mo., in 1945. She graduated from Nevada High School, class of 1952 and attended Pittsburg State University in Kansas. She met Roy Eldon "Bud" Taylor in 1951 at the roller skating rink. Bud was drafted to Korea in 1953 and upon his return, they were united in marriage on Oct. 19, 1954, and went on to have four children together.

Joy worked for more than 20 years at the Nevada Habilitation Center and retired from there in 1993. She went back to work part-time at Denman Land & Title/Bowman's Vernon County Title Co., until she had to quit due to illness.

Joy spent all her life in the Nevada area and was an active member of the United Methodist Church. She was a member of United Methodist Women and worked on the annual bazaar. When her daughters were young, she served as a Mother Advisor for Rainbow Girls. She was also a member of the Eastern Star, Missouri Quilt Guild and the Bushwhacker Quilt Guild. She bowled for several years with a Monday night women's team and was a sports enthusiast. She loved to watch football, basketball, and baseball, and cheered on her children and grandchildren. She was known to show up late to a family gathering if there was a really good ball game on television. She played a mean game of dice and enjoyed playing cards as well. She loved to read, scrapbook, and quilt. Her love for quilting and for her family and friends was demonstrated by the beautiful quilts she gave as gifts to celebrate birthdays, weddings and new babies.

Joy was preceded in death by her parents and great-granddaughter, Eliza Duckworth. She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Roy, of the home; four children, Thomas Walter Taylor and his wife, Caroline, of Nevada, Terri Webber Beam and husband, Ken, of Millington, Tenn., Timothy Wayne Taylor and his wife, Deborah, of Attica, Ind., and Tamara Susan Beach and husband, Roger, of Nevada; grandchildren, Lisa (Judd) Pride, Amanda (Dan) Shipman, Brooke Taylor (David) Duckworth, Brandon Taylor, Brandi (Trey) Todd, Bradley Webber, and Rebekah (Devin) Foster; grandchildren through marriage, David (Lindsay) Baxter, Barbie Baxter, Theodore (Tammy) Baxter, Susan Baxter, Sarah (Dave) Johnson, Tammy Coker, Melissa Webber, Greg (Cammie) Beam, Tim (LaDonia) Beam, Alisha (Chris) Hill, Tina Beam, Tiffany (Stuart) McWilliams, and Jamie Beach; and great-grandchildren, Layla and Landry Pride, Caroline Duckworth, and Mesa Todd, Tyra and Jayla Baxter, Alex and Bethany McWilliams, Bryce and Paige Goins, Alexis Dipman, Maria, Leigh Ann, and David Beam, Joshua, Emily, Ashley, and Jacob Beam and Lora and Joseph Hill. Survivors also include her sisters, Sue Gose and husband, Chuck, of Salome, Ariz., and Jo Benson of Cumming, Ga.; brother, Harry Williams and wife, Kay of Lawson, Mo.; sister-in-law, Margaret Scott of Nevada; and several cousins, nieces, and nephews, as well as great-nieces and nephews, and many dear friends.

A graveside committal service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 24, at Deerfield Cemetery, Deerfield, with the Rev. Linda Pagel officiating. Memorial donations may be made in her memory to Vernon County Cancer Relief Fund or the United Methodist Women in care of Ferry Funeral Home.

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