Olga Marie Taylor

My precious mother and best friend, Olga Marie Lieb Taylor was born to Henry and Minna Graeffe Lieb on May 8, 1912 at her parents’ ranch on the Brazos River in Western Shackelford County, TX. Olga passed away on Monday, August 12, 2013 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m., Friday, August 16, at the Tankersley Funeral Home Chapel, 807 S. Columbia, Stamford, TX 79553. Burial will follow at Highland Memorial Cemetery in Stamford, TX.
Obviously, in her 101+ years, she saw many things come to pass. Olga always delighted in telling stories of growing up with her brothers and sisters. One of her many favorites was every year in the spring and summer about once a month many people would come from the surrounding communities on Sunday and line up to be baptized at Lieb's Crossing, as few, if any, of the smaller churches had baptismals. Of course, Olga and her siblings would watch from the cliff above the river, as they were Methodists.
After graduation from Abilene High School, she traveled by train to begin her college days at John Tarleton College in Stephenville and quickly went on to be a teacher. At that time you only had to have 2 years of college to teach. Continuing her education, she also attended Abilene Christian College, Texas Women’s College, Southern Methodist University, and received her Bachelor of Science in Education from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene.
In July 1936 Olga represented the City of Lueders, riding Pet, as their official sponsor for the State Centennial at the Texas Cowboy Reunion. in Stamford, TX.
On October 31,1937 she had a blind date with W. C. (Dub) Taylor - they attended the Lueders Halloween carnival. It was love at first sight, and on January 8, 1938 they eloped to Henrietta, Oklahoma where they were married. Not too many years after they were married, Dub joined the U.S. Army Air Corp, and Olga followed him all over the United States until he shipped out to the Pacific. Lots and lots of fun stories came from that period. It also included a stint of living in Hollywood, CA.
Olga, a retired teacher, taught for 39 years, all in 4 schools in Haskell County, TX - Vernon, Sagerton, Paint Creek and Rule. Her first school was at the Vernon (Community) one-room school house where she was the only teacher and taught all 8 grades for the exorbitant salary of $80.00 per month. She really enjoyed working with all of her students and was very involved not only with teaching and class work, but also in all of the extra circular activities - class sponsor, selling tickets for football and basketball games, taking kids to the State Fair of Texas. Rather than sleeping in a hotel, they slept in a big barn on hay - it was a lot less expensive. They also took the yellow school bus to New Orleans for the senior trip, and lots of "day" field trips. Olga made learning fun and interesting.
Without question her favorite student was Governor Rick Perry. Governor Perry has always been very considerate of Mrs. Taylor.
After World War II Dub and Olga made their home in Stamford, TX, and Judith arrived soon thereafter. Therefore, it was only natural that she would take a big interest in Camp Fire Girls. Olga not only was a leader in Camp Fire, she also was the director of the Camp Fire Girls Camp Odaka summer camp at the Baptist Encampment Grounds in Lueders, TX. for 15 years. It was the highlight of the summer for many young girls in that part of West Texas.
After retiring from teaching at the age of 69, Dub and Olga soon moved to Ft. Worth to be near their daughter, Judith, her husband, George, and their son Taylor. Taylor was only two when Dub and Olga moved to Ft. Worth, so once again, Olga was able to be very involved in a child growing up, watching Taylor and his pals go to Fort Worth Country Day from kindergarten through 12th grade. She was “Mama Sut” to all of them.
We know she is in heaven with the Lord, and we are sure she is already giving Him many suggestions - she has never been bashful.
There are so many to thank for her being here and her happiness – Ray and Amelia Perry, all of the folks at St Johns United Methodist Church in Stamford, TX and the surrounding communities, and Westcliff United Methodist and Arborlawn United Methodist Churches in Ft. Worth, TX and all of her neighbors on the “circle”.
The family especially wants to thank her two caregivers over the years, Joy Larabell and Dorothy Thompson for their loving, special attention to her.
Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Judith Olga and George Craig Smith, grandson and wife, Taylor Wade and Kelly Wood Smith, and great-grandson Ryder Wood Smith, all of Ft. Worth, TX, and loving nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions are welcome and may be sent to St. John’s United Methodist Church, 201 South Ferguson, Stamford, TX 79553, Arborlawn United Methodist Church, 5001 Briarhaven Rd., Fort Worth, TX 79109, and/or Camp Fire Girls and Boys, USA.