Marybell Taylor

MRS. MARYBELL ALLEN TAYLOR, 71 of STATESVILLE, NC formerly of Marshville, NC passed away Monday, Novemebr 8, 2021 at her home.

Funeral Services will be held 2:00pm Saturday, November 13, 2021 at the Christ Bible Discipleship Worship Center, 1019 Unarco Rd., Marshville, NC.  Interment will follow in the Piney Grove East Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery in Marshville, NC.

(Due to the COVID 19 Pandemic everyone attending the Service and Visitation are required to wear a mask or facial covering and follow all Social Distancing guidlines.)

A visitation will be held 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm at the Church prior to the Service.  Harris Funeral Home & Cremations of Monroe, NC is serving the Taylor, Allen and extended families.

Born Marybell Allen on March 21, 1950 in Monroe, NC, she was raised in Marshville where she met the love of her life, Lewis Taylor at the age of six.  They went from playmates to sweethearts.  She graduated from Forest Hills High School. Mary and Lewis married in 1967 and have 13 children.

While working and raising her large family, she went back to school and earned an Associates Degree in Business and Marketing. Mary had a long career in quality control.  Although illness caused her to leave the working world, she was then able to  focus more of her attention to her children and her church.

"Mother Taylor " , as she was affectionately called, was a devoted First Lady.  She considered the members of Little Refuge, Greater Refuge and later Kingdom of Life Ministries a part of her extended family. Not a First Lady in name only, she actively participated in church throughout her life.  She served as President of the Women's Council, was a Senior Missionary and Sunday School Teacher, passionately led the Minister's and Deacons Wives Guild at her local church and a plethora of other ministries and auxillaries. Mother Taylor had a special place in her heart for young people and always made sure the children and youth ministries had everything they could possibly ask for.

In 2001, Mother Taylor fulfilled a long-time goal and founded Gift of God Outreach.  However, this outreach ministry surpassed her wildest dream.  She was able to tough the lives of hundreds of young people through summer camps ass well as feed and clothe the homeless.  She later founded another non-profit doing case management for HIV and Aids patients. Mother Taylor ran these programs faithfully with grace, love and comp;assion until illness forced her to reitre a second time.

Although battling  her illness, she continued to play an active role in her family's lives.  After a lengthy struggle, God saw that she was tired and called her to rest. Mary touched the lives of so many through the years and will forever be missed. Mary Taylor committed herself to a life of service and that is the legacy she leaves behind.

Marybell Taylor passed away peacefully in the Lord at 10:59 p.m. on Monday, November 8, 2021, surrounded by her family at her home in Statesville, NC.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Horace Sr. and Gertrude Allen; sister, Rosa Lee Allen; brothers, Jimmy Allen, Henry Lee Allen and Horace "Pete" Allen, Jr.

Left to cherish her memory is her loving husband of 54 years,Lewis Samuel Taylor; 13 children, Jerry Taylor, Maria Farrer (Joel), Ricky Taylor (Malva), Regina Taylor, LaAngel Hall (Adrain), Kianna Smith, Derick Taylor, Dorthea Taylor, Tony Taylor, Tonya Taylor, Curtis Taylor (Nicole), Melody Taylor,  Jermaine Taylor (Elisa); her adopted children, Deborah Aqllen, Nikithia Rushing,Jonathan Rushing (Takia) and Caprisha Walls (Lamont); her revering grandchidren, Dee Allen (Camelia), JT Thompson (Jasmine), Amanda and Arica Allen, Sean Allen (Tasha), Dorenzo Hudson (Katie), Kyan and Tayler Allen, Veronica Chambers, Veronica Chambers (Randall), Justin and Makenzie Taylor, Quantavius Dillard (Shahidah), Jazzmine Dillard (Niciole), Teneya Gibson (Camisha), Tyrik Smith, Adrienne Hall,Tyrell and Cameron Smith, Donart Jr and Kemoni Dixon, Sabastian and Clare Taylor, J'Len Taylor, Nina Lewis, Natalie and Dwayne Kea, Noah and Brody Joseph Taylor, Saron and Maddison Taylor, Dylan Massey, Nehemiah and Naomi Taylor; and great-grandchildren; Taylor and Kara Horne, Camiya Watts, Jaiden, Jeremy Jr., and Jaxton Thompson, Aryana Blake, Micah Bivens, Remi Hudson, Ailani Dillard, Nia Waller, Jaylin, Noah, Tymir and Tru Bacote, Ava and Ana Logan.  Also left to mourn are her sisters, Sudie Allen and Faye Bivens; brothers, Billy and James Raymond Allen; her spiritual mother, Dorothy Perry; spiritual sisters, Vera Perry and Margaret Anne Brewer. "Aunt Maybell" bids farewell to a host of nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and cousins.