Joann Taylor

JoAnn Taylor was born January 23, 1931 in Hatfield, AR, to Delter "Dan" Dover and Viva Herring Dover. She was the second of three children; she had an older sister, Rachel, and a younger brother, Jerry. JoAnn lived a life that exuded joy, kindness, and generosity to all who loved her, and those who were strangers to her. JoAnn Taylor, 94, passed away at the Brookdale River Valley Tualatin Memory Care Unit in Tualatin, OR, on July 22, 2025. On June 2, 1949, JoAnn married the love of her life, John Dayton Taylor Jr. in Hatfield. They went on to have four beautiful children whom they loved dearly. In 1966, the family relocated to Roseville, CA. JoAnn took great pride and joy in being a homemaker and raising all her children. Throughout her life, she also wore many other hats: she was a hairdresser, a bookkeeper, and a seamstress. Her favorite job was being a crossing guard for Sierra Gardens Elementary School in Roseville. She loved getting to know the children and watching them grow. In May of 1992, JoAnn and John relocated to Canyon, TX, where they were members of First Baptist Church Canyon, and where they stayed until John went home to be with the Lord. JoAnn had a servant heart. She was always looking out for others before she was looking out for herself. She was the type of person who would literally give a stranger the shoes off her own feet to make sure they were taken care of. She spent hours volunteering to help the elderly throughout her life in both California and Texas. No matter where she lived, she was a member of a local church, and you could always find her singing in the choir and teaching Sunday School. It wasn't just her kind and generous heart she passed down to her children, but also her love of learning and the importance of education. JoAnn attended school in Hatfield and graduated as valedictorian of the 1948 class at seventeen. She was always striving to learn throughout her life. As an adult, she took piano lessons to learn to play and to read music. One could always hear JoAnn praising the importance of "learning and learning for the children". She knew the value of education and the value of passing it on to future generations. Her sons recall knowing that if they were on a vacation and there was a factory around, it didn't matter if it was a steel factory, button factory, you name it, they were going to be taking a tour of it and they were going to be learning just how it was all made. No matter where you are, there is always an opportunity to learn, and it should be taken advantage of. JoAnn was an accomplished seamstress. She loved taking her time to make beautiful clothes for children and grandchildren. Not only was she skilled at making the clothes, but you could always count on JoAnn to be color coordinated from the top of her hat to the shoes on her feet. JoAnn was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her brother and sister, and a daughter, Virginia. JoAnn is survived by a daughter, Carolyn, her sons Jerry Don and wife Ruth Ann, and Jeffrey. She is also survived by four grandchildren: Andrew Whaples, Zachary Taylor and wife Cortnee, Cassandra Smith and husband Josh, and Jessica Mustoe and husband Phillip; and five great-grandchildren: Wesley and A.J. Whaples, Levi and May Mustoe, and Lettie Smith. Graveside services will be at 10:00 A.M. on Friday, August 1, 2025 at Dreamland Cemetery with Corky Holland, Minister of Pastoral Care, First Baptist Church of Amarillo, officiating.