Florence Vera Taylor Heath was born September 10, 1903, to William Monroe and Louiza Josephine Holsted Taylor in Texas and passed from this life February 21, 2001, in Wichita Falls, Texas at the age of 97.

Florence was brought by her parents to the Irving community in 1905, moving there from Marshall, Arkansas. She and Oran Heath were united in marriage December 23, 1923 in a double wedding with her sister, Flora and Willie Massey. The wedding was held in the home of their minister, Bro. Bearden. The two couples celebrated their fiftieth anniversaries on the same day. Florence and Oran grew up together in Arkansas with both families moving to Oklahoma at the same time. She and Oran lived in Carnegie, Oklahoma where they farmed. They moved back west of Ryan in about 1930 so Florence could take care of her ailing mother. She and Oran celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary before his death on January 28, 1984.

Florence was a Baptist and was member of the Irving Baptist Church for more than 60 years. She played the piano at the church for many of those years. She was also a member of the Home Demonstration Club.

Florence is survived by one son, James and his wife Susan of Ryan, Oklahoma; one daughter, Evelyn and her husband John Hicks of Waurika, Oklahoma; one grandson, Eric Heath and his wife Becky; and two great-granddaughters, Emily and Kali Heath.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and her first child Valreese Heath, October 22,1924.

Funeral services were held Saturday, February 24, 2001, at 11:00 AM at the Irving Baptist Church with Clarence Mize officiating. Burial was in Ryan Cemetery under the direction of Dudley Funeral Home of Ryan.