On April 12, 2020, Betty Mathis Taylor passed peacefully into eternal life and into the mansion prepared for her.
The home she left behind would have, on Easter, been decorated with bunnies and such and filled with family and friends.
Betty is best remembered as mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, and friend for her love and generosity.
Her children remember leaving for school each day after she had prepared pretty much whatever they wanted for breakfast.
And if one was a guest, what a hostess Betty was, whether she had invited you for a meal or you just dropped by . . . . Biscuits—the very best biscuits! And now the third generation of her great granddaughters is making Grandma’s biscuits, mixed always with one’s left hand. Cornbread, banana bread, pumpkin bread, zucchini bread.
Pounds of potatoes! Pork chops. Banana pudding. Chocolate cake. Barbeque chicken. (And never had a dishwasher). If you didn’t come to the house, she stayed in touch by telephone. Landline! She checked in daily with her parents, friends, and her sisters, and her children. Sometimes more often. Or she connected with cards, cards, and more cards.
Birthdays were marked on her calendar, and if you were young enough, there may have been two or three-dollar bills for an ice cream treat.
Quilts, embroidered, for graduation.
She made us all feel valued and loved, just the way we were.
She really didn’t want dogs in the house (which no one held against her), but she loved the underdog.
If you had a problem, she would listen—and she never offered advice or asked questions. Just unconditional love.
She appeared to get her greatest joy from giving to others. She kept your children when you were in the hospital. She sent food. She did your laundry. So well did she do your laundry that you expected to see little professional tags! And if you were of a certain age, you realized you would never be a homemaker like she was; because, really, sheets, tablecloths, or underwear didn’t need to be ironed.
She’s the only grandmother I know who wrestled with her young grandsons. And twenty years later was prepared to send any sum she could when she was “notified” by phone that one of those grandsons (who was in the Peace Corps) was in trouble and needed money.
She loved the holidays. Especially Christmas—Christmas plates, Christmas glasses, Christmas tablecloths, Christmas Sunday School parties, Christmas trees . . . . And if a child should happen, in excitement, to grab an expensive ornament from Germany in her home, she would just smile and say, “That’s alright,” because she loved children—her own, assorted others, and especially the grandchildren.
Christmas at Grandma’s was anticipated every year. First cousins and second cousins, crazy cousins, aunts and uncles on Christmas Eve.
And her greatest pleasure was opening gifts—the ones she gave to her family and her friends.
Her life was a continuing gift to us.
Betty was born on April 17, 1930 in Dover, Tennessee, daughter of the late Douglas and Irene (Davis) Mathis.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 48 years, William Clark Taylor.
She was also preceded in death by her brothers, Russell Glen Mathis and Kenneth Hugh Mathis. She is survived by her sisters Neva Ruth Gray (Orman) and Frances Harriett Settle (James Roy).
She is survived by her children: Rebecca Taylor Bibb (David), Maxie Clark Taylor, and William Steven Taylor; and grandchildren Ashleigh Wehmeyer (Marc), Elizabeth Binder (Grant), Joshua Taylor, Blakely Taylor, Jonathan Bibb (Patricia), and Melissa Taylor; and nine great-grandchildren: John Wehmeyer, Joseph Wehmeyer, Kayleigh Taylor, Madelyn Taylor, Londyn Taylor, Hudson Binder, Willa Binder, and Benjamin Bibb.
A private graveside service was held at Resthaven Cemetery, Clarksville, Tennessee. A celebration of life service will be held at a later date at the Park Lane Church of the Nazarene, Clarksville, Tennessee where she was a charter member..
In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to Park Lane Church of the Nazarene; 225 Cunningham Lane; Clarksville, Tennessee; 37042.
Arrangements are entrusted to Anglin Funeral Home, Dover, TN.