Reverend John Edward Taylor

Obituary For Reverend John Edward Taylor

Rev. John Edward Taylor was born August 11,1925 in Exmore, Virginia and was called home to be with the Lord on Saturday, January 14, 2023 in Palm Bay, Florida. He was the youngest of nine children born to James H. and Rosa M. Taylor. His siblings preceded him in death.

Rev. Taylor and part of the family moved to Baltimore, MD. He attended the public school system of Baltimore. He was inducted into the United States Army in 1940 and was Honorably Discharged in 1943. He graduated from Douglas Senior High School in 1946.

Prior to his marriage to the late Eloise Allen Taylor-Johnson, he had one daughter Leslie P. Knox-Robinson. From his union with Eloise, he had two daughters, Roslyn Taylor-Goode and Adriene Taylor-Edwards.

He attended Howard University and majored in Electrical Engineering. He left Howard to join the family business in Levittown, New York. Due to racial discrimination in the local unions affiliated with the family business in Levittown, he returned to Baltimore and accepted a position with the City of Baltimore, where he was the first black to be hired in the Survey and Records Division. He worked for the city for 37 years, retiring as a Surveys Computation Analyst/Office Assistant Supervisor.

In 1972, he married the late Geneva Banks Ford-Taylor of Virginia, they remained married until the death of Geneva in February 2020.

In 1976 he helped organize the Baltimore City Tenant Association and was elected president of the organization. The Tenant Association engaged tenants in becoming voters. Rev. Taylor also served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Harlem Park and Lafayette Square Village Center, a non-profit organization. This helped to improve the quality of life for the tenants. He also was very active in the Orange Krush Committee and its focus was to increase the morale of city employees.

Rev. Taylor joined Emmanuel Christian Community Church at a young age, he grew up working in the church. He became the Men’s Ministry Chairman, was a member of the Senior Choir, The Men’s Choir, and served on the Trustees Board.

He was called by God to preach in 1985. He prepared himself for this calling by attending Arlington Bible College and Institute. He received an Associate of Arts Degree and continued studying towards his BS degree in Biblical Studies.

He was ordained as an Elder of the church by the United Council of Community Churches of Maryland and vicinity on August 11, 1996. Each Friday morning, at 7:00am - 7:15am, Rev. Taylor could be heard broadcasting his Christian sermon on WJRO Radio Station, 1590AM in Baltimore, MD.

In November 2000 he affiliated his membership with Unity Temple Christian Community Church in Baltimore, MD. After locating to Florida Rev. Taylor and Geneva joined Allen Chapel A.M.E Church.

Rev. Taylor leaves to grieve his two daughters, Leslie P. Knox-Robinson (Mother-Cora E. Knox), Roslyn T. Goode (Mother-Eloise Taylor-Johnson), Son-in-Law Leonard Edwards (wife- Adrienne Taylor-Edwards). Three Grandchildren, Sean R.D. (Zulema) Robinson, Kori M. (Hue Jene) Robinson-Bullock (Leslie's children), and Adia Goode-Pinkney (Roslyn's daughter). Sixteen (16) great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild. Sharon Edwards-Sanders, Darlene Edwards-Hyman, and Kenneth Edwards, three of Leonard’s siblings, who at the death of Leonard's mother, Adrienne & Leonard took the responsibility of raising them through the adolescence stage of their lives, and they lovingly adopted Rev. Taylor as a surrogate uncle. He also leaves to grieve his loving sisters-in-law Audrey Carr, Beatrice Bennett, Sylvia Shearin, Helen Taylor, and brother-in-law Melvin Allen, and many nieces, nephews and friends. He was predeceased by his first wife Eloise Taylor-Johnson and late wife Geneva Banks Ford-Taylor, his youngest daughter Adriene Taylor-Edwards, and Yvette Carr, a niece that Rev. Taylor helped raise as a daughter.

Public visitation for Reverend John Edward Taylor will take place on Saturday, January 28, 2023 from 12:00pm-1:00pm which will be followed by his Home Going Celebration which will commence at 1:00pm at Allen Chapel AME Church in Wabasso, FL. Burial will follow in Crestlawn Cemetery.

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