Category: Obituary: T

The Rev. John A. Taylor, 79, died at home July 29, 2011 in State College, PA. He earned his BA from Oklahoma City University and his M.Div. from Boston University School of Theology. During seminary he served as Assistant to the Dean of Marsh Chapel at BU, Dr. Howard Thurman, who greatly influenced his ministry. Jack was first ordained as a Methodist minister but after four years transferred to the UUA. He served churches and student associations in Madison, WI; Amherst, MA; Urbana, IL; San Francisco; and Ithaca, NY. When he retired from Ithaca, after 25 years there, he was named minister emeritus and chaplain emeritus at Cornell University. From 1972-1996 Jack was heard each Sunday morning on radio station WHCU in Ithaca. His book The Unhurried Journey was published in 1991. He served on numerous boards ranging from Planned Parenthood to resettlement of Vietnamese refugees to marketing Foxdale Village, where he was living. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Barbara R. Taylor, their children, Scot R. Taylor and Lyn S. Kalnitz, and their spouses and two grandchildren.

Carolyn Ford Taylor, 74, wife of the Rev. Todd J. Taylor, died August 27, 2013 in hospice care in Taos, NM, after a lengthy illness.

She was woman with many interests and gifts. She operated an art gallery in Knoxville, TN for several years. After her children were grown, she had time to develop her own talents in fiber arts, jewelry making, weaving, music, creative writing and designing children’s “wearable art” clothing.

Carolyn earned an advanced degree in early childhood education and taught pre-school in private schools in Atlanta, GA. She also studied with Diane Stein, author of books on women’s rituals and healing. Carolyn became a Reiki Master, teaching students at home and abroad.

Over the years she led travel groups for church women, which inspired her to start her own travel company, “Women with Wings.” Collaborating with a larger tour company in California, she led groups of women on tours overseas to destinations including Spain, France, Thailand and India. She retired from the travel business in the spring of 2001 and moved to Taos, NM.

Carolyn is survived by her husband of forty years, three daughters from an earlier marriage: Jenifer Valingo, Georgia Atkinson and Michele Marcon; two stepsons, Wannie Taylor, Todd Eliot Taylor and a stepdaughter, Jenai Taylor; eight grandchildren, three great grandchildren; by her brother, Gerald J. Ford, and four nieces and two nephews.

Notes of remembrance may go to Todd Taylor, P.O. Box 658, Arroyo Seco, NM 87514.
With thanks to the Taos News.