Alton L. Taylor

 

It was on the afternoon of Friday, May 26th that Alton Taylor, 79, took his last breath. He was surrounded by his loved ones in the family home.

Alton (Al) Taylor was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi on July 14, 1943, to Eddie and Mary (Monroe) Taylor. Al lived a full, boisterous, and mischievous childhood getting into onery situations only a young man and his brothers could. He would speak fondly of his days at Earl Travillion and would have his family laughing as he reminisced over his youthful shenanigans.  Al went on to earn a degree in business education at Alcorn State where he met the love of his life, Joann (Gibson) in a small campus chapel where they both sang in the choir. On February 10, 1968, they married. Together they raised two daughters, Minna and Adriane.  

Al Taylor spent his entire life making sure his family had everything they could ever want or need, and that everyone had a good time in the process. In 1974 he moved his family from McComb, Mississippi to Joplin, Missouri. It was here that he established a solid foundation for his family of four. He believed in giving the best of himself in every job he had including his time at Gulf Oil, LaBarge Electronics, and the YMCA. He was a man who had big dreams, but he also acted upon those dreams proving to his family that the sky was the limit. From August to February, his days were spent in his den where he would watch any NFL game televised and this passion was matched only by his watching NBA games. There were no qualms about his opinion of every game and every play, but it was the Kansas City Chiefs he enjoyed most of all. Al loved spending time in nature-fishing and working in his yard-and for years he could be found playing kickball, tennis, basketball, and racquetball, oftentimes with his daughters and a neighborhood full of their friends. In 2011, following the devastation of the Joplin tornado, Al and Joann moved to Olathe, Kansas.

If lucky enough to have met Al Taylor, it would be an experience that would never be forgotten. He had the quick wit of the most seasoned comedian and had a joke for every occasion. He was a writer whose carefully crafted words could bring tears. He was a lover of music, which was apparent to anyone who passed the house. He was a dad to many beyond his nuclear family, as he always had an understanding ear and the most fitting piece of advice. He had a magnetism about him, and the party was always wherever he was present. He was an ever-loving husband, Father, brother, uncle, Papa, and friend. He was a way maker. Simply stated, he was a truly amazing man.

Al was preceded in death by his father, Eddie, and mother, Mary; his daughter, Anita; his sisters Peggy (Bell), Rosalie (Smith), Valerie (Jenkins), and Jean (Roberts) and brothers Aulbry and Fred. He is survived by his wife, JoAnn, two daughters, Minna and Adriane, grandchildren Aleka, Chiron, and Mary, great grandchildren Adeline and Amelia, and sister Denise (Johnny Dantzler) as well as several cousins, nieces, and nephews. A memorial service will be held Friday, June 2nd, 2023, at the Johnson County Chapel & Memorial Gardens, 11200 Metcalf Avenue, Overland Park, KS at 10:00 AM. Flowers or donations may be sent to Joann Taylor.