AMAYA ANAIS TAYLOR

Courteney Alexandra Taylor (ag 29) and her daughter Amaya Anais Taylor (age 4), both of San Marcos, died as a result of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle crash involving an alleged DUI driver on Sunday, April 23, 2023 on their way home from a day in the sun with their friends.

Courteney was the oldest/middle child in our family - the rainbow and the glue that blended two households into a family. She was born on November 23, 1993 in Macomb, Illinois to David Jr. and Barbara (Talley) Taylor. Courteney has two older sisters, Megan Noel, LaVella Delgado, and two younger siblings, David Taylor III, and Kelsi Taylor.

Courteney was beautiful, funny, kind, generous, patient, thoughtful and loving. She was a prolific reader and had a dream of opening a bookstore with books written by Black authors. She had a passion for helping others. Prior to Covid she was learning to become a doula so she could help other women through their birthing experience. Although she wasn't able to go to hospitals because of the pandemic, she was able to provide support for several women online and on the phone.

Courteney's biggest joy and blessing was the birth of her daughter, Amaya on April 4, 2019 in La Jolla, California. Amaya brought a smile to everyone she encountered. She was full of life and laughter - gentle, kind, beautiful, smart and curious. Amaya was a ray of sunshine in the lives of everyone who knew her. She loved flowers, singing, dancing, riding her bike, helping her friends, swimming, drawing and painting, being outside, and learning. She especially enjoyed baking and creating laser projects with her Nana and eating bacon cooked by her Pops. Amaya was excited to be flying to Illinois soon where she would get to see her cousins Spencer and Olivia Noel.

Courteney moved to San Marcos in 2007. She graduated from Escondido Charter High School in 2012, Palomar College in 2017, and was a few weeks away from graduating from Western Illinois University with a BA in Sociology and a minor in Anthropology. Amaya was in Preschool at the Chai Preschool and Infant Center in Poway where Courteney was a teacher (Morah). She loved going to preschool, exploring and learning new things, and playing with her friends.

Courteney and Amaya were preceded in death by their maternal grandpa (great-grandpa), Gerald Wayne Talley, and paternal grandma (great-grandma), Sheila Ann (Kimbrough) Taylor. They are survived by David (Pops) and Barbara (Nana) Taylor, siblings Megan (Matthew) Noel and their children Spencer and Olivia Noel, LaVella (Ralph) Delgado, David Taylor III, and Kelsi Taylor. Maternal grandma (great-grandma) Roberta Talley and paternal grandpa (great-grandpa) David Taylor, Sr. Uncle Robert Talley and his daughters Brynn and Lyric Talley, Uncle Rick Talley and his daughter Pamela Bayless, Aunt Gayla (Gene) Creek and their children, Chastity Walker, Amy Koehn, and Matt Creek, Aunt Grace Loveless and her daughters Vivian and Vanessa Loveless and Vanessa's daughter Angelica Jackson, Aunt Tiffany Taylor-Tyson and her children Tyrone, Sheila, and Octavia. Numerous great aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Courteney and Amaya were greatly loved by their family, friends, and all who met them. They will be eternally missed.

There will be a visitation and celebration of life on Saturday, May 13, 2023 from 10am to 12pm at Magallon Funeral Home. They are located at 1421 N Santa Fe Ave, Vista, CA 92084. The family welcomes stories, pictures, and memories.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Courteney and Amaya Taylor Memorial Scholarship at California State University San Marcos https://give.csusm.edu/courteneyandamayataylor