Josephine Louella (Taylor) Henry

Josephine Louella Taylor Henry passed away on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 in Galesburg, Illinois.  Visitation for Josephine will be held on Saturday, September 19, 2026 from 11:00 A.M. until 12:00 P.M.  at Snyder & Hollenbaugh Funeral & Cremation Services of Wapello.  A Graveside service will immediately follow at Mallory Cemetery located in rural Wapello.    Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sandhfuneralservices.com

Josephine was born on the family farm near Toolesboro, Iowa on January 4, 1930 to Glenn Louis and Gladys Bernice (Dunn) Taylor.  She had fond memories of growing up on the farm with her parents, sisters, and grandparents and shared many stories of their lives with her children and grandchildren.

She first attended school in Toolesboro and graduated in 1947 from Wapello High School.  Josephine went on to Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, Iowa graduating in 1951.  It was at Iowa Wesleyan that she met the love of her life, Robert Lloyd Henry.

Jo began her teaching career in Iowa. Her first teaching position was at Conesville High School where she taught English and literature. She then went on to teach at Mount Union, Morning Sun, and LeGrand.  After her marriage and moving to Illinois, she taught at Abingdon High School, Yorkwood High School, and then taught seventh grade English for Galesburg at Churchill Junior High and King Middle School.  She retired from District 205 in 1991 after 34 years of teaching.

Jo married Robert Lloyd Henry at the Methodist Church in Wapello, Iowa on July 15, 1956.  At the time of their marriage, Bob was working for the Sante Fe Railroad.  They lived in Lockport, Illinois for a brief period before the railroad transferred Bob to Galesburg, Illinois.  They moved to Durant, Iowa in the fall of 1962 and lived there one year, where Bob was employed by the Wilton school district. In 1963, they moved to Kirkwood, Illinois and would live there 5 years before returning to Galesburg.

Jo is survived by her children--Bobby Jo (Dennis) Maurer, Kent Taylor (Mary) Henry, and Michael Steven Henry.  She is also survived by her grandchildren—Daniella Marie Henry, Shawn Robert (Erin) Maurer, Seth Taylor (Yilmar) Henry and Christopher Daniel (Megan) Maurer. She was fortunate to have lived to welcome 6 great grandchildren to the family—Jonathan James Hawkes, Ethan Thomas Hawkes, Adam Thomas Maurer, Kate Elizabeth Maurer, Charlotte Anne Maurer and Samuel Joseph Maurer. Jo is also survived by 3 nieces—Beth Ann Gerst Fleenor, Dawn Marie Gerst Miller and Rebecca Jill Pettis.

Jo was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and her sisters—Patricia Lou Pettis, Ruth Ann Taylor, and Marcy Jean Gerst-Meeker.

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