Ethelyn (Larsen) Taylor

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(April 19, 1925 - April 3, 2016)

Ethelyn Taylor passed away peacefully at the Swedish Medical Hospital in Seattle on April 3, 2016. She was 90.

Ethelyn was born on April 19, 1925, in Joliet, Montana, to Armina “Bessie” Bain Hines and John Thomas Hines.

As a small child, she contracted Polio, and from this dreadful disease, she was left with a permanent disability of her right hand and very limited use of her right leg. She would learn to deal with this disability the rest of her life. Her father worked on a sheep ranch, and they lived in the town of Joliet, Montana, going out to the ranch with her father to tend the sheep when she could. She completed the eighth grade.

Ethelyn self-taught herself the use of a computer, cell phones and was learning to use an iPad.

At the age of 15, she married Oscar John Larsen in Red Lodge, Montana, on the 14th of August 1940. They received one silver dollar as a wedding gift, using it for gas to return to Bridger, Montana, and their first home.

Ethelyn became a World War II wife and mother, having three children during the time her husband was serving in the U.S. Navy. After the war, they moved to Cody to find work, then to Powell, working in the Badger Basin and Elk Basin oil fields.

They had four children, Larry Lee, Belinda Jean, Judy Ann and Paulette Larsen.

Ethelyn divorced Oscar in 1951 and moved to Ogden, Utah, where she met Leo Taylor. They were married Aug. 3, 1968. The two enjoyed spending the winter months at Bermuda Palms RV Park, California, and returning to Ogden, Utah, for the summer months. They made this their lifestyle for over 22 years. They made many friends at the park and they looked forward to meeting them every October. Several years after Leo’s death, she moved back to Powell to be around her family, but decided after a few winters that she really enjoyed a warmer climate. She moved back to California, living in an assisted living facility. The last year of her life, she moved to Seattle to be closer to her son and grandchildren there.

Ethelyn loved going camping and fishing or just going over the next hill for a weekend ride. Even with her disabilities, she enjoyed baking, sewing and making Swedish Monk cloth quilts, giving them away as gifts to family and friends. Playing cards was a great pastime for her and she was always bringing back a new card game from her winter stay in California.

Ethelyn is survived by one sister, Annbel Frank of Torrington; one son, Larry Lee Larsen (Ruth Quinet) of Seattle; two daughters, Belinda Jean Paul (Ernie) of Powell and Paulette Johnson (Terry) of Ogden, Utah. She had 11 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Mary Lenore Horner, brother Harold Hines, her husband Leo, one daughter Judy Ann Breckenridge and one grandchild, Glen Meredith.

Cremation has taken place and she will be taken back to Utah. A family and friends gathering will take place at that time.

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