Orla Rebecca Taylor, 87, who overcame polio to work with the disabled, died from effects of a stroke on Oct. 22, 2009.
She was born Jan. 12, 1922, in Jerome, Idaho, to Ruth and Leland Johnson. After high school, she attended Colorado Women’s College in Denver. When World War II broke out she left school and moved to San Diego to build airplanes for Douglas Aircraft. She then joined the Navy and became a WAVE, training as a pharmacist first mate and working as a corpsman at a long-term care hospital in Long Beach, Calif.
She married Joe Taylor on April 22, 1946, and moved to Idaho. Shortly after the birth of their first child she contracted polio. She overcame the disease and had four more children. She worked as a therapeutic swim coordinator for many years.
During retirement Mr. and Mrs. Taylor traveled and attended elder hostels. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on the Oregon Coast in 1996, the same year Mr. Taylor died from a heart attack.
She participated in the African Violet Club and the Billings Book Club. After her eyesight failed from macular degeneration, she moved to Sweetwater Retirement Community. On Oct. 16, she suffered a stroke. She had received care from Antique Rose Care Management in her last days.
Survivors include five children, Joe, Bob, Bonnie of Billings, Patti of Everett, Wash., and Mike of Holbrook, N.Y.; 11 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
A celebration of her life was held Oct. 27 at Dahl Funeral Chapel.