Dorothy Marea Taylor, age 91, of Webster passed away peacefully on December 26th at Burnett Medical Center’s Continuing Care in Grantsburg. She was born at home in Sand Lake Township on March 10, 1933 to Laurence and Violet Kuhnly Pierce. Growing up in Sand Lake, she attended Dongola School through the 8th grade. She graduated Spooner High School in 1951. There was always work on the farm, and Dorothy and her sister Mary made money by selling cucumbers. They would haul them to Siren and meet the train to ship for canning. Money for the fair was made by selling beans. After graduation she worked at the farm and also spent time taking care of the Dongola School. It may have been the teacher, Lolita Taylor’s, idea to have her son Eugene ask Dorothy out. A Navy veteran, Eugene Taylor did and they were married April 12, 1954. To this union nine children were born: Donald, Barbara, Joseph, John, Patricia, Yvonne, Dorothy Jo, Jacqueline and Michael. They made their home in a two room log on end cabin that Eugene had grown up in. Clearly not big enough for the growing family, Gene, with help from friends and relatives, built a three-bedroom house on Pike Lake. On or shortly before Christmas Eve, the couple and five children moved into the not yet finished home. In 1973 with eight children, the family made its last move about 100 yards east into a new home on the lake where the youngest was born.

Dorothy was active in several organizations including the Burnett County Extension Homemakers of Meenon Township, the Women’s Auxiliary of Post 1256 Burnett County Veterans of Foreign Wars, Women of the Moose, and the St. Croix/Hertel Fire Department. Dorothy cooked at the St. Croix Tribal Elderly Feeding site for 39 years, most of them with her good friend Velores Taylor, retiring at 80. Dorothy enjoyed reading, playing bingo and the occasional trip to the casino. Her favorite pastime was visiting with family and friends. Most holidays and even birthdays found the family gathering at her home to visit and partake of the fried chicken and other goodies as only she could prepare. Following her father-in-law’s death, she cooked breakfast every day of deer season for the Taylor crew or Buckshot Hunt Club for nearly 60 years. When her knees would no longer work and caused her pain, Dorothy moved to Continuing Care in Grantsburg for nearly the last three years. Always pleasant and upbeat, she greeted visitors with a smile and an I feel fine.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband Eugene, parents Laurence and Violet Pierce, father- and mother-in-law Ollie and Lolita Taylor, brothers Stewart and Allen with wife Barbara; her daughter Barbara Rivard; and son John and wife Connie Taylor. She is survived by her sister Mary Reese of Webster, son Donald and wife Jeanne of Webster, son-in-law Lowell Rivard of Hertel, son Joseph and wife Julie of Webster, daughter Patricia Olson and soulmate Jaime Carroll of Webster, daughter Yvonne and husband Erik Wilkie of Webster, daughter Dorothy Jo and soulmate Don Karpenske of Gonzales, LA, daughter Jacqueline and husband Gregg Baasch of Shell Lake, son Michael and wife Arlene of Webster, along with 29 grandchildren, 37 great grandchildren and other nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Friends may call at Swedberg-Taylor Funeral Home in Webster with visitation scheduled for 10:00-11:00 a.m. Monday, December 30, 2024 and the funeral to follow at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at the Viola Lake Cemetery after the service followed by a luncheon at Zhashagiins Event Center. Pallbearers will be Nick Olson, Travis Taylor, Steven Taylor, Jack Taylor, Taylor Wilkie, Adam Goering, Thad Baasch, and Tristan Taylor.

Last Update: Dec 30, 2024 1:53 pm CST