Gerene Annette Taylor
Gerene Annette Taylor was born on Nov. 8, 1939, in the proud community of Messer, Okla., to Bill and Fannie (Forbus) Rhodes.
Gerene grew up on Trice St. in Hugo, Okla., and loved telling stories, and there were hundreds of them, about the years she spent growing up in that close-knit neighborhood. She attended Hugo High School (Class of ’58) where she was a cheerleader for The Mighty Hugo Buffaloes. On a cool fall night, some 55 years later, Gerene and another cheerleader from 1958 were invited onto the track with the current Hugo Buffalo cheerleaders to participate in some cheers for the Buffalo Football Team. She still had the moves and knew the words.
Shortly after graduation from Hugo High, Gerene married David Lee Houchen and the new couple moved to Houston, Texas. It was in Houston the two joys of her life were born, her children, Emily and Howard. Eventually Gerene and her family moved to Greener Pastures (“Green, Green Grass of Home” is one of her favorite songs) and, more importantly, back home to a rural area just south of Hugo where she continued to raise her two children and enjoy “The Country Life” which included her love of riding horses. A few years later the family moved to town (Hugo) and Gerene started tennis which turned out to be an almost lifelong sport where she flourished, competed, and enjoyed it immensely. To say Gerene was a “brutal competitor” is an understatement.
Eventually Gerene and David separated, but a few years later she would marry the man who would take her around the world. Gerene married Johnny Taylor in 1976, and the rest is history. After visiting Alaska and Hawaii they moved to Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia where she continued her pursuit of tennis titles, ran The Hash (best described as A Run Through the Jungle), played badminton, and played Bridge. After a few years in Medan, they moved to Singapore where she continued all the above and added singing in an American women’s choir croup. From Singapore they moved to Jakarta, Indonesia for a couple of years and then to Perth, West Australia where her role as wife to Johnny Taylor, the Parker Drilling Director of Operations for the Eastern Hemisphere, meant planning and attending social events where she met and conversed with representatives of heads of state and with heads of state themselves. From Perth, Gerene and Johnny moved to Beijing, China for a couple of years to assist in the opening of Chinese oil fields using Western Technology. The next move was to Johannesburg, South Africa. In Johannesburg Gerene hit her stride as a seasoned “Oil Field Wife.” Gerene and Johnny eventually landed in their final home abroad by settling just outside Hanoi, Vietnam. While in China and Vietnam, Gerene began her “career” as an English teacher to locals of the area including government bureaucrats. Gerene earned Master Points in Competitive Bridge and authored many articles for The Hugo News during her years overseas.
After 21 years abroad, Gerene and Johnny moved back to the Hugo area in 1993 and Gerene found herself in new but extremely rewarding role... Gerene was now a rancher and a ranchers wife. She tackled this role just like all the others and was instrumental in their success. She enjoyed brush-hogging and raking hay and would even help with the feeding and transport of the cattle. She could drive a manual transmission truck or tractor with the best. She continued to play tennis and bridge but added golf to her repertoire of competitive sports. She also began working on her vision of making their place just outside of Hugo into a park. She mowed the 11 acres of their homestead to a golf green like finish and was constantly building fires to burn any branch or leaf that dared touch the ground of her park. She had statues and lighting placed around her park and even carpeted and decorated her barn. She loved having people come out and enjoy the sight of such a lovely place that was truly the fruit of labor from her own hands.
In her later years she enjoyed visiting with family and friends and recounting her thousands of experiences while living and traveling to some of the most exotic places on earth. She greatly enjoyed her grandkids and great-grandkids coming over to see The Park and would most often return a compliment given to her with: “Thank Ya Kindly.”
Gerene was a force of nature when it came to her spirit, humor, and energy for living life to the fullest and for her resourcefulness. We often commented: “If we are ever truly in trouble, we don’t want the FBI, The CIA, or US Special Forces coming to our rescue… we want Gerene Taylor.”
Gerene was preceded in death by her parents; husband of 36 years, Johnny Taylor; her brothers: Glenn Rhodes, Arvin “Dusty” Rhodes, Foy Rhodes; sister, Willene (Rhodes) Faris; and father of Emily and Howard, David Lee Houchen.
Gerene is survived by her loving family, including Emily Whitbeck and husband Mike of Hugo, and their son Blake Whitbeck and wife Hollie of Hugo; Howard Houchen and wife Jeannie of Hugo, and their sons Collin Houchen and wife Kristen of Hugo, and Jared Houchen, Navy - deployed abroad. Great-grandchildren: Michael Whitbeck, Hudson Houchen, Harper Houchen, and Harrison Houchen. Her memory and stubbornness (She approved that!) will forever live on in the hearts and minds of all those who knew her.
The family would like to offer an INCREDIBLY special Thank You to Dr. Sean Boone & her staff as well as to Gerene’s friend, caregiver and running buddy over the past year, Paula Figueroa.
Prater-Lampton-Mills & Coffey Funeral was entrusted to care for Gerene. The family will be receiving friends at the visitation scheduled on Friday, April 4, 2025, from 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. at the funeral home chapel, then a memorial service will immediately follow from 5 – 6 p.m. Friends and family are invited to sign the guest book or send condolences at www.praterlampton.com.
