Jean June Taylor, 86, of Silver Lake, passed away Tuesday, November 27, 2018.
She was born October 11, 1932, in Boston, Massachusetts, the daughter of Albert and Ruth (Shellmer) Quinlan.
Jean and her siblings grew up in the Irish/Italian neighborhoods of East Boston during the 1930's. She was nicknamed 'Quin' in her youth and made a name defending her twin sister Joanie against school bullies at East Boston High School. After she graduated high school she worked in the dietary department at Boston's Mass General Hospital. She was street smart, Boston tough, and Boston stubborn...all traits the beautiful 21-year-old brought with her to Kansas after meeting and marrying the love of her life, Merle Taylor. Merle was a crewman on the USS Block Island and had docked in Boston for a week. Jean saw him at a club, dropped her handkerchief to catch his attention, and the rest became history.
Jean and Merle were married on September 4, 1954 in Milton, Massachusetts, and then moved to Silver Lake where Merle farmed with his family. Jean adjusted to country life and together she and Merle raised five children. Through it all she never let the Boston accent go (you can take a kid out of Boston but you can't take the Boston accent out of Jean Taylor!). Jean operated an in-home daycare for years and then became famously known as Silver Lake's Pizza Lady, making pizza at Casey's General Store for 15 years. Jean's life was full of love, orneriness, and fun. She loved family gatherings and she absolutely loved spending time with her grandchildren and great granddaughter. She will be dearly missed.
Jean lived for the past three years at Oakley Place in Rossville, where she endeared herself to all. She was well cared for by her children and the caring staff at Oakley Place. She was preceded in death by her husband Merle, her twin sister, Joan Moody; sister Barbara Vesowate, and brothers, Al Quinlan and Walter Quinlan. Survivors include children, Susan (Steve) Tate, Edward (Terri) Taylor, Mark (Jacque) Taylor, Bill (Janice) Taylor, all of Silver Lake, and Brenda (Ronald) Payne of Meriden; 12 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild.
A Funeral Ceremony will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, December 1, 2018 at Parker-Price Cremations, Funerals & Receptions, 245 NW Independence Ave., Topeka, Kansas. Interment will follow at Prairie Home Cemetery, 35th & Menoken Road. The family will greet friends thirty minutes prior to service time at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the DARE program in support of the Silver Lake city-wide safe Halloween celebration (an annual event that Jeannie loved), or to the Topeka Rescue Mission.
To leave a message for the family online, please visit www.ParkerPriceFH.com.
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