Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: Taylor, Mathias, Saracoff
----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 11/13/2013
Hattie Taylor Observes (102nd Birthday – 26 October 2013)
Hattie Taylor (right) and her daughter Bobbie Saracoff (left) pose for a photo Thursday at Neillsville Retirement Community. Taylor observed her 102nd birthday Oct. 26. Todd Schmidt/Clark County Press
By Todd Schmidt
Hattie Taylor, 102, Neillsville, is proof clean living, hard work and a lot of exercise lead to a long and productive life.
Further evidence is her brother Ray Mathias, who just turned age 105 in San Clemente, CA.
Hattie is sharp as a proverbial tack. He sat down with her daughter Bobbie Saracoff, Neillsville, last Thursday to share some special memories.
Hattie had one sister and seven brothers. Her parents were Henry and Hattie Mathias; her mother passed away when she was four months old.
Hattie was born in Rib Lake and was raised on a farm in Medford by an aunt and uncle until age 12. She attended Pleasant Heights Grade School, moving back to Rib Lake to complete high school.
“I remember it was up and down a lot of hills for about three miles to get to school,” Hattie said. “It was kind of rough in the winter. On the farm it was work, work, work.”
Henry owned the hotel in Rib Lake. Everyone in the family helped and as result, all the children became good cooks.
“We fed the lumberjacks and cooked everything from scratch,” Hattie said. “We came home from school at lunchtime and after school to help prepare and serve meals. Dad said at 4 a.m. most mornings it was time to get up and get to work. We had to have a good excuse not to come home right after school and go to work.”
Hattie graduated from Rib Lake High School in 1928 at the age of 16; there were 17 members in her high school class.
She then enrolled at the St. Joseph’s Nursing School in Marshfield. She graduated from the three-year nursing program in 1931.
“The director found out I was too young to be there,” Hattie said. “She said it was one time I really put one over on them.”
Hattie passed the state board exam to become licensed as a registered nurse (RN). She began working at the 30-bed Medford Hospital with one additional RN.
“She did the X-ray and lab work, and I did the OB and patient work,” Hattie said. “Sometimes we each had to work 24 hours per day.”
Hattie still found time to begin a courtship. She married Elmer Taylor in 1933 at the World’s Fair in Chicago.
He had an automotive service business in Marshfield.
“In those days, only one member of the family could work due to the economy,” Hattie said. “We had to kind of keep things on the down-low.”
Elmer went on to the Milwaukee School of Engineering and then the Goodman School of Embalming and Funeral Directory in Milwaukee.
Elmer and Hattie purchased the Taylor Funeral Home in Rib Lake from his older brother Art. They also operated the ambulance service.
“That was back in the day before cell phone,” Hattie said. “We had to spend a lot of time sitting by the telephone.
The Taylors sold the funeral Home in 1964. Hattie then went back to work at Medford Hospital until she was forced to retire at age 70.
Undeterred, Hattie began doing home care nursing work and was involved in starting Hope Hospice. One of her granddaughters created the Hope Hospice logo.
At one point in time, there was no doctor in Rib Lake. Hattie provided a great deal of medical treatment for patients.
“I wouldn’t give any medications unless they were ordered by a doctor,” Hattie said.
Back in the early days, nurses wore white uniforms and caps. Hattie said over the years, there have been big changes in nursing.
“I think I always had a good attitude,” Hattie said. “I was compassionate about working with people. However, it was a little depressing to see people’s health failing as they got older.”
Eventually the laws changed, and Hattie was able to go back to work at the Medford Hospital. She and Elmer did a lot of traveling, spending winters in the south and coming back in the summer so Hattie could work at the hospital.
Hattie and Elmer had two children , Barbara (Bobbie) and John. Elmer passed away in 1993, Hattie now enjoys time with her four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Ten years ago, Hattie moved to her own apartment in Marshfield. She lived next door to a brother who took care of the lawn while she did most of the cooking.
Mainly due to macular degeneration, Hattie moved to Neillsville Retirement Community in July of this year. She said she really misses her kitchen and being able to do cooking and baking.
“I really had to downsize,” she said. “I had stuff in Rib Lake and Marshfield. I really didn’t want to give up my independence, but it is really nice and comfortable here. The staff is excellent. I’m very satisfied. My daughter lives in Neillsville, and I know a few people here.”
Hattie gave up her car two years ago. She still has a valid driver’s license until 2016.
Bobbie picks up her mother every Sunday and takes her to services at Grace Lutheran Church in Nasonville. Hattie also occasionally attends Bible study.
Bobbie said her mother did every kind of crafting.
“She had a talent for doing fine things,” Bobbie said. “She enjoyed playing cards, snowmobiling and skiing. They had a cottage on Spirit Lake which we now have. Dad was an excellent dancer, and he and Mom went every place under the sun.”
Hattie enjoyed a birthday party Oct. 26 at Neillsville Retirement Community with about 70 family members and friends.
