Horton Walter Taylor, 78, of Elizabethton, passed away quietly, Friday afternoon, December 30, 2016, at Sycamore Shoals Hospital after a lengthy illness. He was born in Minneapolis, N.C., and was the son of the late Mildred and Okie Taylor. In addition to his mother and father, he was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Joann Hartley Taylor; a brother, Johnny Taylor; and a sister, Jackie Griffey.
Mr. Taylor was a veteran of the USMC Reserves. He was an avid fisherman, outdoorsman who loved to garden and tell funny stories. He was a member of Pleasant Beach Baptist Church and was employed by NARC for 31 years and also at PS & G before his retirement.
Those left to cherish his memory include two sons, Bryan Taylor and his wife, Cindy, Johnson City, and Keith Taylor and his wife, Angie, Tarrant, Ala.; a daughter, Monnie Kechter and her husband, Matt, Watauga; eight grandchildren, Stephanie Taylor, Wesley Taylor, Adam Taylor, Andrew Taylor, Gabriel Taylor, Mason Kechter, Joseph Kechter and Katelyn Kechter; two great-grandchildren, Isabella Taylor and Harper Taylor; a sister, Vicky Ferrell; two brothers, Jimmy Taylor and Ben Allen Taylor; and a very special niece, Jamie Johnson.
A service to honor the life of Mr. Taylor will be conducted at 7 p.m. Tuesday, January 3, in the Chapel of Peace of Tetrick Funeral Home, Elizabethton, with Rev. Mark Fowler officiating. The family will receive friends in the funeral home chapel from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, prior to the service. The graveside service and interment will be conducted at 11 a.m. Wednesday, January 4, at Happy Valley Memorial Park. Active pallbearers will be his grandsons. Honorary pallbearers will be Gordon Lewis, Bob Cable, Jerry Ray, Johnny Patterson, Dennis Patterson, Bob Lipford and the members of Pleasant Beach Baptist Church. Those wishing to attend are invited to meet the family at the funeral home at 10 a.m. Wednesday to go in procession to the cemetery. The family would like to express a sincere and heartfelt thank you to the staff of the ICU at Sycamore Shoals Hospital for their exceptional care, the members of Pleasant Beach Baptist Church, and Rev. Raymond W. Amos Sr. of First United Methodist Church, for the love and support shown to Mr. Taylor and to the family during his illness. Also to his caregivers for several years, Michelle Fraze-Brooks and Tara Pierce. Online condolences may be shared with the family by visiting our website, www.tetrickfuneralhome.com.
Tetrick Funeral Home, Elizabethton, is serving the Taylor family. Office: (423) 542-2232. Obituary Line: (423) 543-4917.