Bernard Taylor

On December 8, 1945, Bernard Taylor was born as the fourth son and fifth child to Earl and Hattie Mae (Hicks) Taylor, in Ravenna, Ohio, in the home that Earl built. At the time, Earl was 27 and Hattie Mae was 23. At a young age, Bernard and his sibling Jerry had to draw water from the creek and keep the fire inside the home going to provide the family with heat. Growing up, his close cousin was Earl Sr., who everyone called "Big Head." These experiences made Bernard grow up fast and instilled a determination to "be about something and be rich and famous." In his early teens, he moved to live with his maternal grandmother, Mother Graham, in Chagrin Falls, OH where he would meet the mother of his children, Cora Lee.  

Bernard was drafted into the U.S. Army and completed his basic training at Fort Bragg Army Base in North Carolina. In 1965, at the age of 19, he was assigned to the 1st Infantry Division during the Vietnam War. His first tour in 1967 took him into the jungle, and later, as SSgt Taylor, he was honored to be assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division. In 1968, he undertook a second tour in Vietnam with a covert Reconnaissance Division. After traveling across oceans and completing two tours, Bernard was honorably discharged as SSgt E6 on December 3, 1972, and returned to his home state of Ohio.  

Bernard was preceded in death by his Father, Earl Taylor; Mother, Hattie Mae (Hicks) Taylor; siblings, Eddie Taylor, Annabelle Reynolds, Gerald "Jerry" Taylor, Donnie Taylor, Ronnie Taylor, Catherine Brown, and William "Rick" Taylor; Grandson, Anthony Louis Henderson (Dottie) and, Great-Grandson, Jaceon Eugene Taylor (Les).  

He leaves to cherish his memory his beautiful and loving wife Fanette; his remaining brother, Victor (Frankie) Taylor (Patty) (Ravenna); aunt, Edna Taylor (Ravenna); children, Les Taylor (Cleveland, OH), Dottie Henderson (Columbus, OH), and Linda Taylor-Flewellen (Kevin) (Marietta, GA); 8 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-daughter; as well, a host of beloved nieces, nephews, great and grand nieces, nephews, cousins, family and friends.  

Memorial services will be 12:00 PM on Saturday, September 14, 2024, at Gospel Lighthouse Church, Columbus, Ohio with Dr. Jerry D. Fryar, Senior Pastor officiating. The family will greet guests between 11:00 am - 12:00 pm.  Contributions and flowers in memory of Bernard Taylor can be made and sent to the church. Funeral services were entrusted to Adams Mason Funeral Home, Akron, Ohio. The interment will be at Standing Rock Cemetery, Kent, OH.