IN MEMORIAM

EXPANDED EULOGIES

“In Memoriam” listings are expanded paid obituaries, phrased as the family requests, and may include enhanced information not in free death notices.

Glenda Taylor

Services for Glenda Lee (Koch) Taylor, 90, who passed away May 23, 2024, at Wesley Medical Center, Wichita, were Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at Eastmoor United Methodist Church, Marion.

Visitation was 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Yazel-Megli Funeral Home, Marion.

She was born Dec, 13, 1933, near the Elk community in rural Chase County to Frederick “Fritz” Carl Koch and Hope Louise (Patton) Koch.

In her early childhood, the family lost its farm during the Depression and moved to Florence, where she spent her childhood.

She fondly remembered as a small girl many trips to her grandparent’s farm, where Granny Patton would devise games and contests for her and her three sisters.

The girls also enjoyed playing with and riding their Uncle Marion and Uncle Chad as if they were horses.

Her parents were strong church members. At age 9, she answered an alter call and gave her life to the Lord. She was baptized into the Florence Christian Church, starting her on a lifelong journey of Christian service.

As she progressed in school, she became involved in 4-H and Girl Scouts. She and her father had a huge garden one year as a 4-H project.

One strong childhood school memory she had was the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Her teacher put a pin in a globe showing where Florence was and a pin where Pearl Harbor was. She remembered that the distance looked very close and scary to an 8-year-old girl.

During her years at Florence High School, she was actively involved in student government but especially enjoyed singing in the chorus, playing flute in the band, and being a twirler.

Her father had a covered wagon and a team of oxen that he would take to parades, and she and her sisters would dress up as pioneer girls.

At one event they met Hopalong Cassidy. She got an autographed picture, which she still possessed.

Shortly after graduation from Florence High School, the devastating flood of 1951 hit Florence.

At the time, she worked at the local pharmacy. After significant damage from the flood, she went to work at the Scully Estates office in Marion, eventually moving there and sharing an apartment with a friend.

On a blind date, she met Jack Taylor. After many letters and phone calls, they were married on April 24, 1954, at a naval base in Corpus Christi, Texas.

After his discharge from the Navy, they moved to Albany, Missouri, where their first child, Sheryl, was born prematurely in 1956 and the Lord took her home.

They moved to El Dorado, where he worked doing construction and oil field work. Their second child, Bruce, was born in 1957, and a year later their third child, Gwendolyn, was born but passed away shortly after birth.

They then settled in Marion, where they had Bryan, who was born in 1962.

She was an awesome and dedicated mother, always opening her home to her children’s friends. She also was a devoted wife to her husband.

She had several causes that she believed in. Both were involved in the building of Eastmoor Church. She also served many years as a Sunday school teacher and church secretary.

In the early 1970s, Marion and Florence decided to consolidate schools. She fought a long and hard battle to keep the Florence schools open, even convincing Jack to run for school board but to no avail.

She was involved in Cub Scouts and the school PTA. They always attended her children’s ballgames and programs, helped with their science fair projects, and always were a big support to them in whatever the endeavor happened to be.

Church and Christian living were a big part of their lives. She took people to scores of doctor’s appointments, especially in the years they lived in Ellsworth and Sylvan Grove.

She always had a heart for people in hardship and numerous times helped people financially and by serving they saw need. She made countless meals for both family and friends.

She dearly loved her grandchildren, nieces, and nephews and always made it fun for them when they would visit and made each one feel special.

That continued when she was made a great-grandmother and just this year when she was blessed with her first great-great-grandchild.

In their later years, they enjoyed several vacations and camping trips with friends.

During the last years of Jack’s life, she tirelessly took care of him. She also enjoyed her neighbors and friends in Marion and tried to run down the battery on her phone almost every day talking with her sister Marylyn.

After Jack’s death, she experienced some loneliness and often expressed that she was ready to go home.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Jack, infant daughters Sheryl and Gwendolyn, and sisters LuJean Krause and Loma Frederick. 

She is survived by her loving family of sons Bruce Taylor (and wife Patty) of Lenexa and Bryan Taylor (and wife Tamara) of Galva.

Also, grandchildren Leslie Buettgenbach (and husband Trapper) of McPherson; Erin Williams-Vohs (and Krista) of Denver; Jordan Greenhaw (and Adam) of Aurora, Colorado; Dani Calamari (and Matthew) of New York City; Kaitlyn Johnson (and Brandon) of Goessel; Clancy Taylor (and Dana) of Canton; Crecia Martin (and Travis) of Galva; Rebecca Geisel (and Shae) of Galva; and Chase Taylor of Washington, District of Columbia.

Also surviving are great-grandchildren Conner, Connor, Brayden, Ashlon, Tailynn, and Tate; great-great-grandchild Cameron; and sister Marylyn Blanding.