Mary Anna Taylor (73) of Windsor

Mary Anna Taylor, 73, of Windsor, Illinois, passed away and met Jesus face-to-face on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.

Mary was born on June 1, 1949, in Mendota, the daughter of James and Dorothy (Ellis) Williams. She was a graduate of Lincoln Community High School; she attended Lincoln Christian College and earned both her Bachelor of Science and Education in Special Education and her Master of Science in School Counseling and Guidance from Eastern Illinois University. Mary and Samuel Ray Taylor were married on January 25, 1969, in Lincoln, and they were blessed with 42 years of marriage. Mary and Sam opened their hearts and their home to many children through the years. They were house parents for several foster children at Cookson Hills Children’s Home in Kansas, Oklahoma. When they left Cookson Hills Children’s Home, Mary maintained a relationship with several of the children throughout her entire life. Mary dedicated her life to teaching and improving the lives of children whether it was touching children’s lives at the Children’s Home or her years of teaching in the Stewardson-Strasburg Community Unit School District or the Windsor Community Unit School District. May she be smiling down from heaven, pleased with the full and wonderful life she lived, and the many lives she so positively and beautifully touched. Mary was a loving and attentive wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend. She will be dearly missed by all. Mary was an active member of the Shelby Christian Church in Shelbyville and the Windsor American Legion Post 725 Auxiliary.

She leaves behind three sons: Barak (Erin) Taylor of Augusta, Georgia, Tim Taylor of Riley, Indiana and Bart (Amber) Taylor of Hillsville, Virginia; daughter, Tammy (Tom) Mashaw of Bethany; fosterdaughter, Birdie (Dan) Parry of Florida; 12 grandchildren: Emma Taylor, Miles Taylor, Aurora Taylor, Eleanor Taylor, Matthew Taylor, Marcus Taylor, Grace Taylor, Alexis Mashaw, Kristina Taylor, Victoria Taylor, Andrew Taylor and Landon Taylor; three great-grandchildren: Storm Taylor, Mayleigh Taylor and Juneau Taylor and brother-in-law, Ed (Shari) Taylor of Windsor.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, husband and brother, John.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 7, 2023, in Lovins-Lockart Funeral Home in Windsor with Pastor Mark Sanders officiating. Burial will take place in Ash Grove Cemetery. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. Memorials may be made to the Stew-Stras CUSD Activity Fund and mailed to Lovins-Lockart Funeral Home, 207 N. Oak, Windsor, IL 61957. Lovins-Lockart Funeral Home in Windsor is assisting the family. Family and friends are invited to light a candle or share a story by clicking here.