Lenora B. Taylor

Lenora B. Taylor, age 109. Sunrise July 15, 1909 in Portsmouth, VA and Sunset September 20, 2018 in Columbus, OH.

“A Life Well Lived For A Proverbial Woman Well Loved”

Lenora B. Taylor was born in Portsmouth, Virginia to the late Emmett and Mary Brown. She had three sisters, Violet, Julia and Mable Louise. She was a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Norfolk, Virginia. Lenora gave birth to two daughters then Ethel Carter Brown and Marie Shaddley Brown, and later adopted Mariah Taylor. In her early years she worked as an oyster shucker and burlap bag laborer to assist the family even though she desired to pursue a college degree in nursing and dreamed of owning her own business. Lenora did not let her dreams die.

She was able to save and pay for her college education. She became a nurse! She later met the man of her dreams, George Taylor and married. Even still she attained her beauty license and became the 1^stAfrican-American female to own & operate a business – a ten chair beauty salon on Church Street in Norfolk, Virginia. She also opened an ice-cream parlor. She was a trailblazer, an ingenious and savvy entrepreneur. These two businesses not only brought pleasure to many over the years but taught all of us the importance of having a good work ethic and money management at an early age. She also taught us to take care of our own family; family is family and that blood is blood.

She was a self-taught pianist and saw beauty in everything and in every color. As the years passed and she began to age, she was relocated to Columbus, Ohio to live with her daughter and became a member of Tabernacle Baptist Church.  As Lenora’s memory began to fail, she became a resident at Edgewood Manner of Westerville (now Buckeye Terrace) where she was cared for by family, a great team of home health aides, nursing staff and administration.

Lenora B. Taylor affectionately known as Madea was preceded in death by her parents: Emmett and Mary (Biddle) Brown, husband – George “Georgie Boy” Taylor, sister – Mable Louise Bennett, nephew -Richard Brown, daughter – Marie Hicks.

She leaves to cherish her memory: children – Ethel B. Garner (Columbus, OH) and Mariah Taylor-Ballard (John) Hampton, VA.; Grandchildren: Paulette Collins, Eugene Patterson IV., Andrea L Patterson, Apostle Althea C. Taylor Jr. (Kym), Dazzmond Henry, Apostle Annette Jackson (Marcus), George A Hicks ll, Mona Hicks; Great grand’s: Tamra L. Collins, Jeffery Story, Darrah Patterson, Eugene Patterson V, Arion Taylor, Brionna Taylor, Audrey Servellon, Raynard A. Miller II., Kenric I. Miller, Demra A. Miller (Kim), Pastor William JC Wallace, George A Hicks lll, Lydia Hicks, Paul Hicks, Elisha Hicks, Christina Hicks; Great Great Grand’s: Channel Truss, Peighton Miller, Antonio Truss, Amari Wallace, Reaghan Miller, Reigh Miller, Demra A Miller II (Keelah), Zamir Miller, Kamarreon Miller, Ryland Miller, Sa’ Nai Wallace, Tayron McCreary, Taylor Wallace, William A Wallace, Emily Wallace, Kenric I Miller II, Jordan Miller, Niyah Miller, Isaiah Miller, Jurnee Miller and Andrew Servellon, Naomi Henry, Nylah Miller, Tobias Collins, Tasia Collins, Taryn Collins, Tya Harris-Collins; Great Great Great Grand’s: Joseph Armstrong  IV, Aiden Clark, Armani Bronaugh.

Visitation 11:00am and Home Going Service 12:00 noon Friday September 28, 2018 at MARLAN J. GARY FUNERAL HOME, THE CHAPEL OF PEACE NORTH, 2500 Cleveland Ave.

Interment at Evergreen Burial Park.