Nov. 28, 1919 - Apr. 27, 2020
Date of Service: May 1, 2020
Garnett Nyssa Severe Taylor, a 100-year-old Burley resident, passed peacefully from this earth life to her heavenly home on April 27, 2020, where she was greeted by a host of family and friends who had been anxiously awaiting her return.
She was born on November 28, 1919, in Burley, Idaho, to Edgar Gilman Severe and Annie Louise Cook Severe. She attended school in Burley where she made lifelong friends.
On February 12, 1940, she married Parley Rex Taylor. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Logan Utah Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on January 30, 1981. She was an active member of the Church throughout her life.
After their marriage, Dad and Mom were always at each other’s side. They truly enjoyed being together. In the early years, much of their time involved working in the sheep business. Mom embraced living in a small sheep camp in the wilderness somewhere in Idaho or Wyoming with grace and enthusiasm. During shearing and lambing seasons, she cooked the meals for all the workers. Four children were added, and they became part of the patchwork of the sheep business. They spent winters in Burley and summers in Star Valley, Wyoming, while Dad tended to his sheep.
In time, Mom also discovered needlepoint. It would be hard to estimate how many needlepoint creations she has made over the years. Some of the include a piano bench cover, chair covers and numerous pictures that now hang in the homes of her children, grandchildren and friends. And, always part of the mix were Mom’s dogs. She loved her little Maltese and the Border Collies that were part of her home.
In 1979, Dad and Mom moved to Lava Hot Springs to retire. They spent hours together fishing, golfing and swimming in the pool every morning. They cooked and cleaned together and laughed and played together. They enjoyed travel and just going for a drive.
Dad left her on November 1, 2006. The separation was hard for Mom. There was a loneliness in her heart that never completely healed. And yet, she faced this challenge as she had all others—with courage and determination. She learned how to cope with being alone at night and filled her days with her favorite and familiar activities, such as swimming laps every morning and taking long, peaceful walks. Mom was an avid reader. She always had a book or two in progress. She also loved playing cards and took every opportunity to play with anyone and everyone she could corner. But, the true saving grace during her years without Dad was her beloved little Maltese dog, “Sportie”. They were quite a pair. Mom loved animals and people. They all seemed to gravitate to her care and kindness.
In November of 2019, Mom celebrated her 100th birthday. We had a bash! Everyone made special efforts to attend. We had a big Thanksgiving dinner together with nearly 80 people in attendance. We had an open-house where she got to see friends and family that she had not seen for a very long time. It was a wonderful time for her.
One would think that 100 years would be enough, yet we are grieved at having lost this constant light in our lives. But, Mom was weak and tired and ready to move on to the next adventure in her eternal progress. We will miss her presence, the “Nuts and Bolts” and the rhubarb cake, but we will cherish the memories.
Mom is survived by her children, Tom (Janine) Taylor, Jack (Karen) Taylor, Jane Searle – all of Burley, Idaho, and Carrie (Allen) Cone of Kennewick, Washington; 15 grandchildren; 46 great-grandchildren; 13 great-great-grandchildren; and a special friend, Kathleen Widmier of Burley.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years; her parents; two brothers, Edgar Harrison and George Gilman; five sisters, Verna Hawkins, Ila Holden, Stella Bradshaw, Zola Bergeson, and Clara Harkness; two grandsons, Doug Eames, and Nathan Cone; one granddaughter, Trenna Taylor; and one great-granddaughter, Sydney Dallon.
The family would like to thank the staffs of Highland Estates Assisted Living, and Harrison’s Hope Hospice, for the love and tender care they gave so freely.
A family visitation will be held from 9 until 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 1, at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, followed by a graveside service for family and friends at 11 a.m., at the Pleasant View Cemetery. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a viewing is allowed as long as only one person, or members of the same household, enter the viewing room at a time. The funeral home will assist in guiding those wishing to attend the visitation. The Governor’s Social Distancing Requirements will be followed.
