Obituary of Hilda Irene Taylor

none Hilda (known by many people as Jimmy) was born 24 June 1912 near Columbia Falls, Montana to Ralph and Maud (Preston) Harbin and died 2 December 2005 at St. Peter Hospital. She married Clarence Curtis Taylor on 24 January 1931. Hilda's first time away from the Flathead area in Montana was early in her married life when they went to an Alaskan Island in 1935 (Bendel) to raise blue fox. Her eldest daughter Alma was born there. Finding fox farming was not a profitable venture, they returned home. Much of her life was spent on small farms or rural areas in Montana and Idaho. Her son, James Curtis Taylor (deceased 1965) and Patti Jo were born during that time. She moved to Washington after her husband died. Shorlty thereafter she began college and graduated Summa Cum Laude from St. Martin's College in 1969. She was employed as a school Librarian at the Tumwater Junior High School and continued to attend school until she earned her Master of Librarianship from the University of Washington in 1972. She retired from the school district and moved to Anderson Island in 1978 but spent six months in the Peace Corps in Jamaica. She lived on Anderson Island except for a few years in Seattle and Elma, Washington before returning to Tumwater to live by her granddaughter, Holly Detzier (Don). She spent several years writing the story of her experiences; she entered it into the computer herself and printed it in 1994--a wonderful legacy for her family. She remained physically and mentally active until her death and enjoyed spending time with her family (children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren), most of whom live nearby. Survivors include her daughters, Alma Greenwood (Bill) and Patti Jo Jones (David); grandchildren, Kathy Thompson, Christy Brannon, Bill Greenwood, Holly Detzler, Jennifer Jones, and David Jones; also 7 great grandchildren; her brother, Pat Harbin of Plains, Montana; and a number of nephews and nieces. Memorials may be sent to: St. Martin's University 5300 Pacific Avenue. S.E. Lacey WA 98503.