Obituary of Oren Jay Taylor

O. Jay Taylor, 86 of Iowa City died peacefully Tuesday, January 25, 2011, at his home. Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, January 31, 2011, at the First United Methodist Church in Iowa City. (Sunday parking ordinance will be in effect for streets near the church). In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in his memory to the First United Methodist Church of Iowa City. Online condolences may be sent for his family through the web @www.gayandciha.com. Oren Jay Taylor was born October 19, 1924, in Kansas City, MO the son of Edward E. and Leona P. (Petro) Taylor. Following graduation from high school, he served in the United States Navy during WWII in the Pacific theater. After the war he married Genevieve Buess on June 6, 1946, in Cedar Rapids. The couple moved to Iowa City in 1956, where Jay worked for Proctor & Gamble for over 20 years. After leaving P&G, OJ and Genny opened Taylor's Woodshop on Prairie Du Chein Road. They specialized in clocks, furniture and assorted fine wood products, spending fifteen years doing craft shows to share their work with others. He had a passion for travel and took every opportunity to explore all corners of the US. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Iowa City, Jay's family includes his son and daughter-in-law, Steve and Amanda Taylor of Idyllwild, CA; grandchildren, Helen Taylor and her husband, Matt Reimert of San Francisco, CA; Joy Larsen of Eustis, NE; and Todd Larsen of Chicago, IL; and a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Ann and Mike Denton of Brandon, IA. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, Genevieve in 2007, and their daughter, Ann Larsen in 2001.