Obituary of Woody Taylor

Our father, grandfather and friend, Woody Taylor, age 74, passed peacefully February 19, 2024.  Born in St. Louis, Missouri, June 20, 1949, he grew up with his mother, Leta Cooper, his father, Robert “Bob” Rawson, and his three brothers, Jerry Taylor, Larry Breeding, and Kenneth Breeding.

 

He and his future wife, Jeannette “Jenny” Ayers, met as teenagers. They married April 1,1970, while he was on a short leave between tours in Vietnam. Woody and Jenny came to a saving faith in Jesus during the “Jesus Movement” of the 1970s. They had four children, Sherry Taylor (1971), Jonathan “John” Taylor (1973), Eric Taylor (1975), and Robert “Bob” Taylor (1979-1997).

 

Woody worked as an auto mechanic for many years, after which he and Jenny worked a series of jobs together until their retirement. In 1997, their youngest son, Bob, died tragically and, in 2018, his beloved wife passed. Afterward, he was often heard quoting 2 Corinthians 5:8b, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” and would add, “There is no better place for mom and Bob to be than in His presence.”

 

Even as Woody left behind so many who love him, we are confident he is fully at peace, welcomed by his Lord, his wife, and his son, in a joyful reunion.

 

Woody is survived by his daughter, Sherry Whittaker; and his two sons, John Taylor and Eric Taylor; as well as five grandchildren, Andrew Whittaker, Aaron Whittaker, Isaac Taylor, Emily Whittaker, and Elizabeth Taylor-Torres. Woody has also left behind his son-in law, Steve Whittaker; and his sister-in-law, Patty Taylor. He is also missed by many others he loved and served over the years. 

 

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