WAYCROSS — It is with great sadness that we announce the Thursday, January 23 passing of our mother, Betty Jean Taft, age 78, who loved and adored our dad, Harley Gene Taft, for 63 years.
She was his trusty sidekick in music, singing beside him while he strummed his guitar, and we’re pretty sure she was the real star of the show. Mrs. Taft had three brilliant children who were never smart enough to outsmart her and often wondered if she had a hand in creating Life 360 because she always knew where we were.
Mrs. Taft loved shopping on the weekends with her granddaughters, and her husband always joked she was keeping the roads hot. Her grandsons were the apple of her eye.
She was a great cook famous for her potato salad and grape salad. Sunday dinners and holiday celebrations were very important to her, and she never forgot a birthday, always calling to sing to you no matter how old you were.
As the oldest of her siblings, Mrs. Taft always reminded her children she was the boss times two.
Mrs. Taft was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and enjoyed attending church and visiting the temple. She was a praying lady who prayed for many people who never even knew.
Life wasn’t always easy, but she made the best of it. After being diagnosed with dementia, Mrs. Taft never complained, praying her way through tough times.
She was a as a classy lady who always believed in dressing up for church and taught her children to do the same, saying you never know who you’ll see. Mrs. Taft was never afraid to put her foot down, teaching right from wrong, and pushong to be the best.
Mrs. Taft will be missed, but her earthly work is done. She is with our heavenly father.
A special thanks to Harborview Health and Hearth Hospice employees and staff.
In addition to her parents, Mrs. Taft was preceded in death by her parents, Sylvester Thompson and Martha Jacobs; and three siblings, Steve Jacobs, Kay McDonald and Linda Walker.
She is survived by three children, Mary Lou Corbitt (Ronald) of Manor, Pauline Lee (Jimmy) of Waycross and Gene Taft (Mitzi) of Waycross; two daughters she loved as her own, Katherine Anderson and Cindy Winder, both of Green Cove Springs, Fla.; her grandchildren, Kimberly Dowling (Dusty), Brandon Correll (Kelly), Courtney (Shawn Spikes), Tracy Poole (Eli), Aaron Dakin, Georgia Ingalls, Cody Taft (Kalyn), Alyssa Taft and Jason Taft; her great grandchildren, Landon, Leah, Lexi, Addison, Alex, Chase, Addy, Teagan, Taryn, Trenton, Conner, Dalton, Zoey, Kenley and Bryce; special friends Annie Mae Fogle Cribbs and Fae McCary; her siblings, Wayne Jacobs of Kingsland, Marilyn Rogers of Brunswick, Iva Lee Ezell of Cario, Robin Poole of Waycross, Aline Jacobs of Waycross and Danise Bohannan (Jason) of Nahunta; a sister-inlaw, Louise Jacobs of Willacoochee; and numerous nieces, nephews, and other relatives.
A funeral service was held, Monday, January 27, 2025 in the Music Funeral Home Chapel.
Burial followed in Little Utah Cemetery.
Sympathy may be expressed by signing the online registry at www.musicfuneralhome.com.
Music Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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