Lila B (Bell) Taylor

Lila B. Taylor passed away from natural causes at her home in Sierra Vista on October 5. Lila was born December 7, 1946 in Madison Wisconsin to Claire and Ivan Bell.

She graduated from Middleton High School in 1965 and went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in 1969 from the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse. Later, after a serious bout with psoriatic rheumatoid arthritis made her rethink her career goals, she went back to school for a Master’s Degree in Counseling from the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater.

Lila moved to Tucson in 1974 where she met the love of her life, John Kirby Taylor. They married on June 6, 1977 and moved to Garden Grove California. While there, Lila built a successful business offering counseling to people recovering from injuries and disabilities. Once John retired from the Navy, they returned to Arizona and settled in Sierra Vista. Lila’s career then took a new turn as she taught Sociology at the Cochise Community College, touching the lives of many students there.

Lila was the primary caregiver for her husband John until he passed away August 10, 2012 from cancer.

Again, Lila re-invented herself as she became an active member of the Faith Presbyterian Church of Sierra Vista where she trained and served as a Stephen Minister, using her natural empathy and counseling skills to help others.

Lila enjoyed watching the seasons change on the mountain that was in prominent view from her front window, visiting the local Butterfly Gardens, going out with her multitude of friends and spending time with her rescue dog, Foxie.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Juanita Lanz and Sandy Thornell.

She is survived by three brothers, Peter Bell (Cindy), Roger Bell (Suzy), Tim Bell (Pat), one sister, Karen Boley (Jim) and eighteen nieces and nephews plus a host of great and great-great nieces and nephews.

A Committal Service for Lila will be held on Monday, October 25 at the Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 1300 Buffalo Soldier Trail, Sierra Vista. Please arrive between 12:30 and 12:40. Follow the Committal service signs to the staging area.

The Jensen's Sierra Vista Mortuary assisted the family with arrangements.

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