Lafonne “Foncey” Jennings Taylor, 94, passed away peacefully on October 17 with family by her side at Hospice of Laramie. Foncey was born on July 21, 1932, in Washington, Iowa, the only child of Forrest Myers Jennings and Lucille Evans Jennings.
She moved at an early age to Centerville, Iowa where she grew up and graduated from Centerville High School in 1950. In school she was active in orchestra, the yearbook, cheerleading, girl scouts, thespians and equestrian sports with her horse Bonnie Blue Victory that she got on VE Day. She attended Williams Woods College in Missouri, but left to marry Jack Taylor, a WWII veteran. Together they had four children. She followed Jack to the University of Iowa and then out west to Montana and then Wyoming, settling in Laramie in 1964. In Laramie, she went back to college at the University of Wyoming and got a library science degree, working in education.
After developing a love for amateur “Ham” radio, she then got her Broadcast Engineering license at a time when very few women were in the field. Following the end of her marriage to Jack she pursued radio and television engineering opportunities first in Wyoming, including KUWR (Wyoming Public Radio), finishing her career working for Nebraska Public Television as a remote transmitter engineer near Angora, Nebraska. There she rented a farmhouse and was able to pursue her love of gardening, horses and chickens. In addition to Ham radio and gardening, Foncey enjoyed reading, quilting, genealogy, restoring old houses and when she was younger, spelunking, hunting and camping.
She was a long-time member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the League of Women Voters, as well as being a lifetime Girl Scout. She was involved in every community she lived in, including being part of the efforts to save Ivinson Mansion and the Territorial Prison in Laramie. She loved music of all kinds and hosted a popular History of American Music series on KUWR. She was a proud Progressive Democrat and always followed current events and loved talking politics. With memories of the Great Depression and WWII, she always wanted to see a better world for future generations. She was preceded in death by her former husband Jack Taylor in 2013, her son John Taylor in 1970, and a son-in-law Douglas Pirtle in 1992.
She is survived by her daughters Katherine, “Katie” Morgan (Phil): Susannah “Susan” McClendon and partner Keven Materna; son Pryce Taylor; all of Laramie. She leaves three beloved grandchildren, Jack McClendon of Laramie; Ken McClendon of Maine; and Sarah Morgan and partner John Carl of Colorado.
Per her request, there will be no service, and her body was donated to medical science in hopes they could learn from her many years of struggling with auto-immune disorders.
Our mom will be remembered for her persuasion skills, perseverance and unflappable sense of humor.
The family will host an informal celebration of life at a later date and would like to thank the staff of Spring Wind Assisted Living for their support during her many years there and the staff of Hospice of Laramie for their care in the last few months of her life.
Memorial donations may be made in Foncey’s name to Wyoming Public Radio, Hospice of Laramie or a charity of your choice.
