Nancy Ann Taylor, 72, passed away at her home in Wilsonville on Oct. 11 after a long struggle with respiratory disease.



Born on May 12, 1944 in Elkhart, Indiana, Nancy was the only child of Walter and Alice (Spaulding) Hoffman. She grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, graduating from Loy Norrix High School in 1963. During the Vietnam War, she became pen pals with Michael Taylor, a young Air Force sergeant who was stationed in the Azores. Mike and Nancy married in 1968 in Michigan and then moved west to Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California. Son Eric was born in 1969, daughter Bonnie was born in 1972, and daughter Lillian was adopted in 1973.



In 1988 the family moved to Benicia, California. Nancy worked briefly as a clerk at Raley's grocery store, but considered her main occupation to be homemaker and mother during her kids' teenage years. After Mike's retirement, Nancy and Mike moved to Rio Vista, California. From 2002-2004, they served an LDS mission in Orlando, Florida, where they made many memories and many friends. In 2005 they relocated to Tualatin, and since 2011 they enjoyed sharing a home with their daughter's family in Wilsonville.



A prolific writer and freelancer, Nancy kept journals that her family will treasure. One of her dearest friends was a pen pal in Ireland with whom she corresponded for 43 years. Nancy also loved genealogy and could trace her family back to her Dutch ancestors. She and Mike travelled extensively, including taking a road trip to Alaska and three trips to Ireland, as well as camping frequently closer to home. In recent years, Nancy's greatest joy was her grandchildren.



Her friends and family will remember Nancy most for her gift of storytelling, her vibrant personality and her quirky humor. She loved life and truly made the most of it.



Nancy will be greatly missed by her husband, Michael, of Wilsonville; son Eric of Salem; daughter Bonnie (James) Arnold of Wilsonville; daughter Lillian (Tom) Wilkinson of Mesa, Arizona; as well as eight grandchildren, Bryan of Beaverton; Lance and Gavin Arnold of Wilsonville; Rebecca (Michael) Lizon of Poulsbo, Washington; Shelley (Brian) Jones of Mesa; Jennifer (Tim) Crowder of Mesa; Johnathan of Mesa; and Jamie Wilkinson (Ernie Hamilton) of Emilia Island, Florida. She is also survived by 10 great-grandchildren.



Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Oct. 29 at the LDS church in Wilsonville. An open house will be held afterward at Nancy's daughter Bonnie's house in Wilsonville. Burial will follow at a later date
at Willamette National Cemetery.