April 8, 1929 ~ March 5, 2017
Bettyjo Lucille (Rains) Taylor was born April 8, 1929, in Caldwell, KS to Arthur and Lydia (Worley) Rains. She had one brother, Lewis Rains. Bettyjo passed away at Golden Living Center in Wellington, KS on March 5, 2017, at the age of 87.
Bettyjo grew up in the last house on North Main Street, as a town girl, the daughter of a grocery store owner. She spent a lot of her time at her parent’s store, Model Drive Inn while growing up. After her father passed away, she continued helping her mother run the store.
Bettyjo graduated from Caldwell High School In 1947. Following graduation, she went to Arkansas City, KS where she took typing classes. That same year on December 25th she married Grant Keith Taylor. They lived their married life together on the Taylor farm, 11 miles west of Caldwell. Their union was blessed with three children, Theresa, Gwendolyn and Steve.
Bettyjo spent time doing the many farm wife duties, raising the children, gardening, sewing, canning, and even field work. She took care of the many animals, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigs, horses, and cattle. She had a bottle fed calf that followed her everywhere. They could often be seen out walking down the road together. The calf never knew the inside of a pen. In addition, she also had pets for the kids, along with the dogs, cats and bunnies, she somehow found a peacock, a baby raccoon, turtles, fish, and many more. This came to an abrupt halt, when Steve just happened to find a pet snake and put it in a box under his bed the day before he broke out with measles. He kept telling mom she needed to feed his pet under his bed. She finally looked, and found the box and took off the lid to find George. She really ran fast that day!
She had a great love for music, and insisted that the children all have piano lessons. In school, she insisted all three kids learn to play a band instrument so that they could be in the band and go to all of the games. She enrolled them in 4-H and was a leader. She enrolled Gwen in Girl Scouts and Steve in Boy Scouts and was a Den Mother. Bettyjo wanted her kids to join every activity they could to have many wonderful experiences like she did growing up.
Bettyjo worked at the Caldwell Nursing Home in Physical Therapy while her daughter Theresa went to college.
As life does, all too soon, the children went off to college and did not return to the farm or the area. Eventually, Theresa and Gwen made their homes in the Kansas City area and Steve lived in Pittsburg, KS. With the kids gone, Keith & Bettyjo had given up their camping days, and now took short trips (sometimes with camper) to visit the kids at their homes. Steve of course saw more of them as he was lucky enough to bless them with something they always wanted - to be Grandparents. If not visiting the kids, she devoted her time to her hobby, growing and trading African Violets, having as many as 100 or more plants at one time. On weekends, Keith would drive her to African Violet shows and conventions.
After 44 years of marriage, her husband, Keith passed away in 1991. Bettyjo moved back to town, and once again lived on Main Street. She became active with the local senior citizens group. She continued to travel to visit the many Worley cousins she had all over the country from Idaho to Texas. Bettyjo also enjoyed working and making friends at Walmart.
After having a stoke she moved to Golden Living Center in Wellington, KS, and resided there until her death on March 5, 2017.
Bettyjo was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Keith Taylor, her brother Lewis Rains, and her son Steve Taylor.
She is survived by two daughters , Theresa (Mike) Glander, of Shawnee, KS, and Gwen Taylor of Shawnee, KS, three grandchildren Abby Taylor, Glen (Brandy) Taylor, and Eric (Mary) Brown and four great-grandchildren Madi Taylor; Mallory, Lindsy & Ryan Brown.
A memorial graveside service will be held April 8, 2017 at 1:30 p.m. at Caldwell City Cemetery, Caldwell, Kansas.
The family requests donations or Memorials in Bettyjo’s name go to the Caldwell Senior Center and may be left in care of the mortuary.
