Lawrence Edward Taylor

March 23, 2014

Lawrence Edward Taylor, age 84, died Sunday morning, March 23, 2014, at his home in Henderson.

Mr. Taylor was born and reared in Tuscumbia, the son of the late David Allen and Esther Cornelia Rickard Taylor. He graduated in the first graduating class of Mars Hill Bible School in Florence, then attended Freed-Hardeman College. He married Corine Mitchell in 1952. He received his Bachelor’s degree at Pan American College in Edinburg, Texas, in 1958, and received his Master’s in Counseling and Psychotherapy at the University of Alabama.

Mr. Taylor served four years in the U. S. Air Force during the Korean War (1951-1954) and was stationed in North Africa. He was discharged as Staff Sergeant. He was Vice-President of Tripoli Sales Company, an oil field supply company, in Tripoli, North Africa. While working with Tripoli Sales he also served as a self-supported missionary in North Africa.

He taught at Madison Academy Bible School in Huntsville, and also preached in several Churches of Christ in the Huntsville and Florence area.

Mr. Taylor moved to Henderson in 1970, taught Bible and counseling at Freed-Hardeman University, and served as Registrar of the school. He was the university pilot, flying university officials to various speaking engagements.

After his work at Freed-Hardeman, he moved to Georgetown, Texas, where he served as the pulpit minister. He worked with several churches in Texas before returning to Henderson in 2011. He was a member of the Jacks Creek Church of Christ and had been a member of the Lions Club for over 20 years.

He is survived by his wife, Corine Mitchell Taylor of Henderson; two daughters, Linda Moran and husband, Larry, of Henderson, and Sherri Wilkinson and husband, Rick, of Corsicana, Texas; and two sons, Allen Taylor of Orlando, Fla., and Andy Taylor of Kalispell, Mont. He is also survived by two brothers, Hershel Taylor of Summerville, and Bob Taylor of Belgreen; two sisters, Fronia Horten of Belgreen, and Jewell Nagle of Russellville; five grandchildren, Daniel Wilkinson, Eric Wilkinson, Bethany Gomez, Patrick Moran, and Alyssa Moran; and three great-grandchildren, Adrianna Gomez, Morgandy Moran, and Bretton Moran.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Cheryl Lynn Taylor; two brothers, Delmer Taylor and Odie Taylor; and two sisters, Stella Taylor and Lurlia Dill.

Funeral services will be at 3 p.m. Friday at the Belgreen Church of Christ near Russellville, with Dr. Milton R. Sewell officiating. Burial will follow in the Belgreen Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at Shackelford Funeral Directors – Casey Chapel from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, and at the Belgreen Church of Christ from 2-3 p.m. Friday.