Annabelle Taylor

Funeral services for Annabelle Taylor, 93, of Clinton, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. 
She died Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, at Great Plains Regional Hospital in Elk City.
Annabelle (Rea) Taylor was born July 16, 1923, to Oscar Lynch Rea and Faye (Burt) Rea. “Grannie Annie,” as she was known to family and friends, moved to Oklahoma City with her parents when she was 7 years old. She graduated from Central High School in 1940 and continued her education at Oklahoma State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in science. 
She was employed with the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in Oklahoma City for more than a year, and then married Darryle Lee Taylor Nov. 19, 1943, in Oklahoma City. 
The couple made their homes in Panama, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma, coming to Clinton in 1972. 
After her husband’s death in 1973, Taylor began working at Redland Theatre. She started as a ticket-taker and worked her way up, running the concession stand, then the projector, and eventually becoming manager. 
Taylor was employed with Clinton Regional Hospital as the emergency room clerk from 1984 until 1995.
She was a longtime faithful and active member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. She served as Lay Minister and nearly every other position in the church, both at the local level as well as the district and state levels. 
Taylor volunteered at numerous hospitals and prisons, including the Presbyterian Hospital in Oklahoma City, Joseph Harp Correctional Center and Lexington Correction Center. 
She received her ministry education from the College of the South in Sewanee, Tenn. Taylor performed personal services for inmates at the Mable Bassett Ladies Correction Center, and she was also a very active member of the AARP.
She was also preceded in death by her parents; a son, Dean Taylor; a grandson, Michael Taylor, and a sister, Peggy Inge.
Survivors include a daughter, Jean Simpson and husband Jim of Clinton; a son, Ralph Taylor and wife Lyndean of Corn; a daughter-in-law, Kathy Taylor of California; nine grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. 
Burial will follow the service at Mound Cemetery in Taloga under the direction of Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home.