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Former long-time Joplin principal Louis Milton Taylor died on January 28, 2012 at Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach, MO at age 95 following complications from pneumonia. Louis was born in Winfield, KS on September 6, 1916 to H. Ray and Vera Bay Taylor. He was the eldest of 7 children and is survived by his brother Mel Taylor of Kansas, Dean Taylor of New Mexico, a sister Veralee Taylor Stewart of California and a sister-in-law Jane Taylor of Indiana. An infant sister Kay Taylor and brothers Dee F. Taylor and Harold Taylor preceded him in death. He is survived by numerous Taylor nieces and nephews and Bay-Taylor aunts and cousins.
Louis graduated from Southwester College in Winfield, KS and held graduate degrees from the University of Arkansas. He began his teaching career in Pineville, MO. In Pineville, he met the love of his life a fellow teacher, Oral DeWitt Taylor. They married June 10, 1939 and lived in Pineville until he entered military service. They were married for 56 years until her death in 1995.
While serving in the U.S. Army during WW II, he was the Band Director of the 324th Army Service Forces Band. After leaving the military, he became the high-school Band Director in Siloam Springs, AK.
Later he served as Superintendent of Schools in the Missouri school districts of Stella, Crocker and Fair Grove. He completed a successful career in education as a principal in the Joplin School District until his retirement. While in Joplin he also served as the American Legion “Boys’ State” Area Coordinator.
Louis and Oral are survived by two children who graduated from Joplin High School. Their daughter, former State Representative Patricia Taylor Secrest and her husband John, formerly of St. Louis County and now living in Osage Beach. Their son Gary DeWitt Taylor and his wife Linda live in Olathe, KS. Louis is survived by grand-children Brent Taylor and his wife Jennifer and Tiffany Taylor Sonner and her husband Bryan. Great-grandpa Louis was especially proud of his 5 great grandchildren; Taylor Sonner, Lauren Taylor, Kayla Sonner, Brenden Taylor and Parker Sonner, all of Olathe, KS. They are also survived by one niece from the DeWitt family, Barbara Orler Sindelar formerly of Pineville.
The family thanks the staff of the Lake Regional Hospital, the SNF Unit, and Lakeside Meadows for their care and kindness to our father and grandfather.
Louis will be buried with military honors on Friday, February 3 at 2:00 p.m. at Ozark Memorial Park, 415 N. St. Louis Avenue, Joplin, MO. The family will gather at Parker Mortuary, 1502 S. Joplin Ave., in Joplin at 12:30 on Friday to greet friends.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be sent in Louis’ honor to either:
Joplin Schools Tornado Relief Fund or Lake Regional Health System.
Former long-time Joplin principal Louis Milton Taylor died on January 28, 2012 at Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach, MO at age 95 following complications from pneumonia. Louis was born in Winfield, KS on September 6, 1916 to H. Ray and Vera Bay Taylor. He was the eldest of 7 children and is survived by his brother Mel Taylor of Kansas, Dean Taylor of New Mexico, a sister Veralee Taylor Stewart of California and a sister-in-law Jane Taylor of Indiana. An infant sister Kay Taylor and brothers Dee F. Taylor and Harold Taylor preceded him in death. He is survived by numerous Taylor nieces and nephews and Bay-Taylor aunts and cousins.
Louis graduated from Southwester College in Winfield, KS and held graduate degrees from the University of Arkansas. He began his teaching career in Pineville, MO. In Pineville, he met the love of his life a fellow teacher, Oral DeWitt Taylor. They married June 10, 1939 and lived in Pineville until he entered military service. They were married for 56 years until her death in 1995.
While serving in the U.S. Army during WW II, he was the Band Director of the 324th Army Service Forces Band. After leaving the military, he became the high-school Band Director in Siloam Springs, AK.
Later he served as Superintendent of Schools in the Missouri school districts of Stella, Crocker and Fair Grove. He completed a successful career in education as a principal in the Joplin School District until his retirement. While in Joplin he also served as the American Legion “Boys’ State” Area Coordinator.
Louis and Oral are survived by two children who graduated from Joplin High School. Their daughter, former State Representative Patricia Taylor Secrest and her husband John, formerly of St. Louis County and now living in Osage Beach. Their son Gary DeWitt Taylor and his wife Linda live in Olathe, KS. Louis is survived by grand-children Brent Taylor and his wife Jennifer and Tiffany Taylor Sonner and her husband Bryan. Great-grandpa Louis was especially proud of his 5 great grandchildren; Taylor Sonner, Lauren Taylor, Kayla Sonner, Brenden Taylor and Parker Sonner, all of Olathe, KS. They are also survived by one niece from the DeWitt family, Barbara Orler Sindelar formerly of Pineville.
The family thanks the staff of the Lake Regional Hospital, the SNF Unit, and Lakeside Meadows for their care and kindness to our father and grandfather.
Louis will be buried with military honors on Friday, February 3 at 2:00 p.m. at Ozark Memorial Park, 415 N. St. Louis Avenue, Joplin, MO. The family will gather at Parker Mortuary, 1502 S. Joplin Ave., in Joplin at 12:30 on Friday to greet friends.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be sent in Louis’ honor to either:
Joplin Schools Tornado Relief Fund or Lake Regional Health System.
