Joanne Axelson Taylor died peacefully on Monday, December 21, 2020, from complications from pneumonia. She was 85.
She is survived by her daughter, Jane Taylor, son-in-law Michael Hall and her two grandchildren Clare and Simon of Washington, D.C., her brother John Axelson and sister-in-law Barbara Axelson of Oil City, and many nieces and nephews in Pennsylvania and across the U.S.
Joanne was admittedly a terrible cook. She loved the beach. She hated appliances of almost any kind. She read newspapers religiously and ate ice cream whenever she could. She wrote countless letters and recorded the contours of her life in dozens of journals. She spoiled her beloved dogs. She worried about other people’s children. She preferred disposable cameras and insisted on pictures at every event. She had a love-hate relationship with her cars. She never read directions and refused to buy anything that required assembly. She preferred turtlenecks in the winter and summer. She liked cake for breakfast. She didn’t like fireworks because it upset most dogs. She labeled everything, sometimes twice. She rarely believed something new was better. She loved her daughter, fiercely. Until this year, she attended church almost daily. She was uncommonly beautiful and rarely wore make-up. Cardinals captured her imagination, particularly in winter. She gave freely but spent very little on herself. She did not tolerate grammatical mistakes or mean children. She never repeated gossip. She was an amateur meteorologist closely tracking the weather. She enjoyed a small sweet treat in the afternoon with strong coffee. In short, the only rules Joanne lived by were her own.
She was the daughter of Rita (O’Connor) Axelson and Hjalmer Axelson. Born in Clearfield on July 12, 1935, Joanne had two older sisters, Janet Lytle and Helen Smith (both deceased), and a younger brother John Axelson. She was grateful for her sisters’ and brother’s love and guidance, especially John and Barbara’s care and support. Her dear friends Sue and Joe Echenoz shared laughs, meals, and good times.
She graduated from Clearfield High School in 1953 and began working for an accounting firm in Clearfield, and later for the Navy in State College. She obtained her undergraduate degree at Clarion State and her master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Edinboro State College.
She devoted her life to children, first as Jane’s mother and then grandmother to Simon and Clare. She also taught and counseled students in Oil City schools for over 30 years. At the time of her retirement, she was the Director of Guidance for the Oil City area school district. Joanne believed in children’s innate goodness and fought for the opportunities they needed to grow and succeed. No one ever failed in her eyes; they just hadn’t learned to succeed yet. Joanne regularly went beyond the scope of her duties as a guidance counselor. For example, she quietly paid for countless school lunches, after-school activities, and field trip fees for deserving and needy students during her tenure.
Needing a women’s swim coach, Joanne coached the Oil City girls’ swim team when it became a varsity sport in 1972. Her team won the PIAA District X title that year. She later became a swimming judge and taught numerous children to swim at the high school pool. For several years, she served as the Samuel Justus Summer Enrichment Fund director, overseeing summer classes ranging from acting to typing and camping.
She married Bruce Taylor on January 26, 1959, and she regularly flew with him across the country while he delivered planes. In the early 1960s, she helped Bruce start Penn Aire Aviation in Franklin, managing its finances and making it a success. They separated in 1962.
Joanne was a remarkable mother, grandmother, sister, friend, businesswoman, and counselor. She was a lady in all circumstances. She was fair and just to all. She was as kind as she was stubborn. She was as much Swedish as she was Irish. She was devout, selfless, and unfailingly thoughtful. And, she was loved, most especially by her spoiled dogs, lucky grandchildren, her devoted family and friends, and the children of Oil City who needed her. She will be missed.
In safer and warmer times, a memorial service will be held in Oil City to celebrate Joanne’s life.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Joanne’s name can be made to the Oil City YMCA Younger Days Child Care Center at 316 West First Street, Oil City, PA 16301.
Morrison Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be left at www.morrisonhome.com.
