Madeleine Sowers Taylor, 93, Watseka, died at 11:45 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, 1997, at Momence Meadows Nursing Center.
She was born Nov. 9, 1903, at Donovan, the daughter of Albert R. and Josie Sallee Blakely. She married Paul Sowers on Oct. 31, 1925, at Watseka, and he preceded her in death on Aug. 22, 1956. She married Floyd Richison in Sheldon on Jan. 19, 1959, and he died Oct. 27, 1965. She married Russell Taylor in Watseka on Aug. 13, 1967, and he died on May 17, 1969.
Mrs. Taylor was a member of the Centennial Christian Church in Watseka. She was active in the Iroquois County Republican Women’s organization and the Iroquois County Home Bureau. She was also a member of the Sheldon Grandmothers Club.
She received her teaching certificate from Illinois State Normal University in 1924, and taught in rural schools. She later worked at the Illinois Driver’s License facility in Watseka and retired June 1976 after working for 19 years in the Iroquois County Clerk’s office.
She is survived by two sons and daughter-in-law: Gordon and Joanne Sowers of Gibson City, and Francis L. and Marcia Sowers of Kentland, Ind.; two daughters and a son-in-law: Kathryn and Carl Petro of Bourbonnais and Alberta Johnson of Milford; two sisters and a brother-in-law: Edna Houghton of Watseka and Marguerite and Murel Preston of Hastings, Mich.; one sister-in-law, Tressa McCarty of Kentland, Ind.; four stepchildren: Fern Pugmire, Lois Korpan, Mary Southard and James Taylor; 13 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and five great-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother.
Visitation will be from 10-11 a.m. Tuesday at the Segur-Knapp Funeral Home in Watseka.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home with the Rev. Joe Hughes officiating.
Burial will be in Prairie Dell Cemetery at Iroquois.
Memorials may be made to Centennial Christian Church in Watseka.