Barbara Jean Taylor Obituary
Cremation will take place and a memorial service will not be held. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Kairos Dwelling, Parchment Community Library or to the charity of your choice; https://www.kairosdwelling.com or https://www.parchmentlibrary.org.
Barbara Jean (Hill) Taylor age 98, of Parchment, MI passed away on January 28, 2025, from complications with cancer. She was born on October 29, 1926, in Kalamazoo, MI to Leslie Phillips Hill and Lillian Alma (Clearwater) Hill. Barbara graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School in 1945, and attended Western Michigan College, later transferring to Parsons Business School where she received specialized training in operating the comptometer mechanical calculator. After leaving Parsons, she worked as a bookkeeper at the J. C. Klosterman Company.
She married Louis Allan "Dutch" Taylor in 1949. Their wedding was held at the Rose Street Church of God with a reception at the Kalamazoo Civic Auditorium. Upon the construction of their home, the couple relocated to Parchment in 1955, giving birth to their daughter Nancy in the same year. Barbara was a resident of Parchment for 70 years. Barbara was an avid reader and a regular patron of the Parchment Public Library for many decades. She also had a passion for music and could frequently be heard playing the piano and singing her favorite hymns.
Well known for her sweet tooth, she enjoyed baking for loved ones and was always happy to share a piece of chocolate, cake, or an ice cream float to brighten someone's day. She also took great joy in spending time with family and friends, and she especially enjoyed playing the board game Pollyanna with her sister and grandson and the card game Rook with her extended family. Barbara was a life-long member of the Church of God, attending the Rose Street Church of God and continuing with the congregation's move to the Westwood Church of God (now Grace Harbor Church).
Barbara was preceded in death by her parents Leslie and Lillian (Clearwater) Hill, her step-mother Mildred (Blair) Hill, her sister Joan (Hill) Skinner, her husband Louis "Dutch" Taylor, and her daughter Nancy Jo (Taylor) Lenz. She is survived by her grandson Adam Taylor Lenz and partner Ada Kaczynski of Manchester, CT; her son-in-law Peter Lenz of Portage, MI; her nephews Mark (Jane), Michael (Cathy), Gary (Debi), and Scott (Jorron) Szekely and their families.
