Rose Taylor, 93 of Stratford, passed away on Tuesday, January 22, 2013. Graveside services are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Friday, January 25, 2013, at Stratford Cemetery with Rev. Kevin Anderson, pastor of First Assembly of God officiating and Rev. Darla Anderson is assisting. The family will receive friends on Friday from 12:30 until 1:30 at the funeral home. Arrangements are entrusted to Morrison Funeral Directors.
Rose was born in Boise City, OK November 14, 1919 to Anthony and Scalina Stassi. Her parents married and came to America from Palermo, Sicily in the early 1900's to have their children and begin their new lives as they homesteaded in the rural Oklahoma panhandle. They began in a very small "dugout house" with only dirt floors, eventually building a small farm house and raising 5 children. Rose is the 4th of 5 children born to this Italian couple who worked very hard building a legacy of love that has been passed down through 6 generations today. Rose's father Anthony worked as a farmer and her mother Scalina took care of the home; she spoke very broken English but would never teach her children to speak Italian. She would see to it that her children would speak fluent English without an accent so it would not hinder their acceptance as Americans. Rose went to school until the age of 16 until her father died of diabetes. Also at this time she began to lose her hearing eventually resulting in a surgery performed in Rochester, MN. The surgery that was supposed to help her so much ended up with her having a much worse hearing loss than before. Even with these trials in her life, she clung to the faith that was taught her and with her father's death she knew she had to work along with the other children to meets the family's needs. Her first journey for a job was a reading segment with a local radio station; they spoke to her on the phone, loved her speaking voice and so they hired her for the job. She said she was so excited because she not only needed the job but she had a great passion for reading. The first day on the job was extremely disappointing, when she walked in they took one look at a coal black headed Italian girl and let her go before she even got started. They had no idea she was Italian. It didn't stop her passion for reading and it didn't stop her at all, she just pursued another passion, hairdressing. She went to Oklahoma City, took a state board test and got her beauty operating license. She did hair for a few years and helped support the family until her life took a drastic change and a tall dark handsome farmer boy looked her way. Rose married Albert "Walker" Taylor, he was the love of her life and 12 years her sr. They moved to Kerrick, TX where he owned land and farmed, they made their home in Kerrick the rest of their married life. Rose was a homemaker she loved sewing, cooking, gardening. She had the best okra, tomatoes and asparagus in the little community. She loved county fairs and always had several entries winning ribbon after ribbon. She had beautiful flowers and a beautiful yard that reflected the spirit inside her. Upon retirement Walker and Rose spent several months a year in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. They had tons of friends, played cards and went to Sr. Citizens dances, even though Rose could not hear she loved to dance as her other senses took over and she could feel the beat of the music; amazing! They danced and danced and fished and fished until they had to come back home and see the kids and grandkids. Walker went home to be with the Lord in 1983, Rose moved to Stratford, TX and made a new life there and watched her family expand to 5 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren.
Rose was preceded in death by her husband Walker Taylor, daughter Darla Cummings and husband Wayne Cummings, and two grandsons, Barry Dean Cummings and Walker Taylor.
She is survived by her daughter Peggy Hart of Stratford, grandchildren Debbie Hart of Guymon, Ok, Christi Duvall and husband Devin of Rogers, AR, Shawna Baugus and husband Carlton of Dumas, Brett Cummings and wife Cindy of Bushland, Sheila Pancake and husband Larry of Amarillo; great grandchildren, Taylor Baugus and wife Linnsey of Dumas, Stassi Cisneros and husband Louie of Dumas, Brant Cummings of Lubbock, Bryce Cummings, Cambri Cummings, Ella Cummings, all of Bushland, Shadley Hawkins of Denton, Sterling Audrain of Stratford, great great grandchildren; Taylyn Cisneros, Isabella Cisneros, Sydney Duvall and Macy Duvall.
The family suggests memorials be made to Olivia's Angels, PO Box 950 Amarillo, Texas 79105.
