AMARILLO, Texas — Crystal “Chris” Irene Taylor, 86, died Jan. 20, at the Northwest Hospital in Amarillo, Texas, after a brief struggle with lung and heart disease. Born Oct. 3, 1928, in St. John, she was the daughter of Harold and Gladys Leitner. She graduated from St. John High School and soon married Melvin Taylor, who had returned from World War II. They lived in several western Kansas towns before moving to Oberlin in 1965. She was a former businesswoman in Oberlin. She lived in Oberlin until her husband’s death in 1990. She moved to Great Bend and later to the Craig Retirement Home in Amarillo, Texas. She was a trained florist as well as a licensed beautician. During her time in Oberlin, she owned a clothing store and then a flower store. Her hobbies included playing bridge,  doing ceramics and painting carousel horses.
Mrs. Taylor was a member of the Faith Lutheran Church for more than 25 years.
Survivors include two sons, Larry (Lorena) Taylor, Lenora, and Tracy (Kim) Taylor, of Amarillo, Texas; a brother, Carol Leitner of Twin Lakes, Mich.; five grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild.
Services were held on Jan. 23, at the Trinity Baptist Church in Amarillo, Texas. Burial was at the Memorial Garden Cemetery in Amarillo, Texas. Memorials may be made in her honor to the donor’s choice.

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, April 2, 2015*