June Kay Taylor

There are some people who live their days by just going through the motions, their lives seeming to fade into the everyday landscape of time. Then there are those who embrace each day, coloring not only their own lives, but the lives of everyone placed in their path, just by being who they are each and every day. June Taylor was an enchanting woman who embraced each moment as if it were a gift, often setting aside her own needs to tend to the needs of others. She was a woman of great strength, determination, and love, always treasuring that which she held most dear, her family.

During the 1930’s, the reduction of spendable income caused people to look for inexpensive pursuits; stamp collecting, parlor games, and board games were all the rage. Nile and Ione (Sanford) Benjamin, of Paw Paw, Michigan were looking to their own bright spot, as Ione was due to give birth to their second child at any time. They were indeed blessed on January 18, 1932 with the healthy birth of their daughter, June. This was a time of great trial for many American families as our nation was held tightly within the grip of the Great Depression and June’s family was no exception. June’s mother worked as a telephone operator and her father worked erecting silos.

June spent her childhood in Kalamazoo, Michigan where she attended Kalamazoo Central High School. She was a gifted student, who worked hard at her studies and she graduated when she was only 16. After high school June was introduced to Dick Taylor by her best friend Jean Dolby. June and Dick were later united in marriage on August 1, 1951 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Kalamazoo.

Within the first three years of their marriage Dick and June were blessed with the births of their two children, Robin and Richard. June loved being a mother and stayed at home to care for her children while Dick worked at for the Upjohn company in order to support his family. Her children were always June’s priority and she had a way of making sure that they each felt loved in their own unique way. June always supported her children in their various endeavors and they were her constant source of pride and joy.

In addition to caring for her family, June found time to pursue things that were of interest to her. She loved bowling and served as the secretary and treasurer of the league at Wayside West for a period of time. June enjoyed the music of Andy Williams, knitting, playing yahtzee, reading, and doing crossword puzzles, even until the day she died. She was very creative, using her talent to decorate her home and she was a gifted artist as well. June and Dick were blessed to have a home on Sherman Lake, located in Augusta, Michigan where they hosted many family gatherings throughout the years. They both loved the peace and tranquility that the lake home offered. She and Dick enjoyed traveling and they went around the world for the 25th wedding anniversary, celebrating their loving and fulfilling marriage.

Life drastically changed for June when Dick died in 1984. Although she was devastated by this loss, June leaned on her family for strength and support during this difficult time. June often traveled to Maryland after Dick’s death where she enjoyed spending time in Maryland with her daughter’s family. June treasured her grandchildren and loved playing board games with them and spending as much time with them as she could. The people in her life were of the utmost importance to June and she made a gift list each year for the birthdays and special occasions of everyone she held dear, never forgetting an important date.

June Taylor was a caring woman who devoted much of her time to caring for others in her life. She was a woman of great strength and determination who faced her diagnosis of cancer head on, living much longer than was expected. June gained joy from many things in her life, but to June, her greatest joy was in the relationships with her loved ones including her silky terrier, Murphy. These memories will be forever etched on the hearts of all those June leaves behind. She will be deeply missed.

June Kay Taylor, of Kalamazoo, MI, died January 20, 2009 at her home in Kalamazoo after a 4 year courageous battle with cancer. June’s family includes her two children: Robin (Ken) Howard of Gaithersburg, MD and Richard (Julie) Taylor of Grand Haven; 8 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; 2 sisters: Betty (Jim) Miyagawa of Kalamazoo and Mary Jo Mosher of Gobles and many nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Please visit June’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can archive a memory or photo, sign her memory book, or make a memorial contribution to Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan. Arrangements provided by Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes - Kalamazoo, MI, 6080 Stadium Drive, 375-2900.