Patricia Blanche Ward Taylor

Visitation for family and friends will be held on Monday, February 22, 2010 from 7:00 to 8:00 pm, at Bratcher Funeral Home, 401 W. Woodard St., Denison, TX 75020.

Funeral services for Pat will be held at 10:00 am, Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at Bratcher Funeral Home, 401 W. Woodard St., Denison, TX 75020 with Jerry Spradling and Travis Bookout officiating. Interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery, Denison, TX.

Pallbearers for Pat will be Johnny Brown, Dale Phillips, Ryan Taylor, Jordan Taylor, Burt Moulden and Jason LaFon.

Patricia, also known as Pat, Patsy, Grandma and GG (by great grandchildren), was a faithful Christian, loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend to all who knew her. She will be greatly missed.

Pat was born on February 7, 1927 in McKinney, TX to Thomas Cleveland Ward and Cortie Blanche Towner. Patricia moved with her family soon after birth to Pampa, TX, then to Longview, TX, then to Jackson, MS, where she graduated from Central High School in 1943. After graduation, Pat moved to Dallas and worked for Morton Milling for a short while, then attended TCU in Fort Worth. On March 11, 1948 she was married first to Donald Maurice LaFon. They had two children: Sandra Lee LaFon and Thomas Earl LaFon. Following her divorce, she became the owner of Merle Norman Cosmetics Studio in Grand Prairie, TX in 1957. She stayed involved with her business throughout her life, receiving recognition for 50 years of Merle Norman service at the company’s annual convention in Orlando, FL in 2007.

Pat married Delbert Taylor, of Denison, on March 16, 1974 in Grand Prairie, TX at Pat’s home. In addition to becoming Delbert’s wife, she also became the step-mother to Delbert’s sons, Richard (Rick) and Randy Taylor.

Twenty-Eight years ago, Pat and Delbert became avid genealogists and their research took them on many trips throughout the country. Through her research, Pat proved her lineage for membership in the National Society of Sons and Daughters of the Pilgrims, National Society of Colonial Dames of the 17th Century, the Daughters of the American Revolution (the Martha Jefferson Randolph Chapter of Sherman, TX), the National Society of the United States Daughters of 1812, and the United Daughters of the Confederacy. She held the office of Registrar for her DAR chapter for many years and was an officer and member of the Denison Genealogical Society. She was a member of various other historical and genealogical societies – too many to list here. She and Delbert were charter members of the Gann Historical Society and Library, Inc.

One of Patricia’s joys in life was continuing her education. This she did through her genealogy pursuits as well as returning to college. She was awarded an Associate of Business Administration degree from Grayson County College in May, 1983.

Other clubs and organizations that Pat belong to included the National Association of Retired Railroad and Railway Employees (NARVRE), the American Volkssport Association, and the Texoma Amblers (a Denison walking club). As members of the Volkssport Association, Pat and Delbert completed 10K (6.2 miles) walks in all 50 states and in London, England. Eight of these walks were between her 70th and 75th birthday; truly she was an inspiration to all!

Her involvement in both genealogy and the walking clubs allowed her to fulfill her desire to see the country. These activities, combined with attending family reunions across the country, meant that Pat and Delbert were gone from home usually from Spring through Fall. Often friends and family couldn’t keep all their travels straight, and would get great entertainment from guessing where they were at any given time. During her travels, Pat enjoyed collecting cookbooks and antique glassware, along with dropping in to discover long-lost cousins. Pat and Delbert were welcomed in many homes across America.

She was a long-time member of the Morton Street Church of Christ in Denison, having transferred her membership in 1974 from the Turnpike Church of Christ in Grand Prairie, TX. She taught Sunday School classes to pre-schoolers at both Turnpike and Morton Street churches. At Morton Street, she served as the church Historian/Librarian for many years.

She is survived by her husband, Delbert Taylor; daughter, Sandra LaFon Lewis of Garland, TX; son, Thomas LaFon of Bluffdale, TX; step-sons, Rick Taylor of Moss Point, MS and Randy Taylor of Denison, TX; grandchildren, Jason Lafon of Grand Prairie, TX, Stephanie Lewis of Little Elm, TX, Ryan Taylor, attending UCLA in California, Jordan Taylor of Denison; her two great-granddaughters, Kimberly LaFon and Jessica LaFon of Arlington, TX. Also her loss will be mourned by Delbert’s stepdaughters, Phyllis Rainwater of Frisco, TX and Sherry Rainwater of Plano, TX.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to the scholarship fund maintained by the Martha Jefferson Randolph Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Contributions may be made in Pat’s memory to: MJR Scholarship Fund, c/o Ann May, 1601 Lambreth Circle, Sherman, TX 75092.

Pat was one of the DAR members actively involved in starting this fund; the family believes that supporting this project would be an enduring legacy of Pat’s wonderful life.

Arrangements are entrusted to the care and direction of Bratcher Funeral Home, 401 W. Woodard Street, Denison, Texas 75020. For further information, please call the funeral home at (903) 465 – 2323, or for an online obituary, directions or to leave a condolence, please go to www.bratcherfuneralhome.com