Ruth Owen Taylor

Ruth Newby Owen Taylor passed away on March 27, 2026 at the age of 93. Ruth was born in Guthrie, KY on February 9, 1933 to Clyde Duncan Owen and Sada Mullinix Owen and grew up in many Kentucky towns as they moved around during Clyde’s Methodist ministry.

Ruth graduated from Greensburg (KY) High School and later Union College, with degrees in Music and Economics in 1954. After teaching music in Mason County and Hodgenville, KY for three years she attended Indiana University in Bloomington, IN, obtaining her Masters of Music (Vocal) in 1957. While at Indiana, she began a career teaching music in Washington Township Schools in Indianapolis, where she taught from 1957 until her retirement in 1992.

In 1959 Ruth married Charles (Chuck) Taylor, whom she met at Broadway Methodist Church in Indianapolis. She and Chuck were married fifty-four years prior to his passing in 2014.

She took a short break afrom the classroom when their son Brian, and later another son, Jeff, were born. She loved being home with the boys.

Ruth was very active in church life, first at Union Chapel United Methodist and later at First Baptist Church of Indianapolis, teaching Sunday School , singing in the choir, and bible studies.

She was an avid seamstress, making clothes for herself and others along with curtains and other things for their home and was a charter member of the American Sewing Guild.

After retiring from teaching, Ruth enjoyed volunteering with orgainizations like the Ronald McDonald House, Indiana Special Olympics, and the Indiana State Museum, where she was a presenter with their travelling Covered Wagon Exhibit and visited elementary schools throughout central Indiana.

Ruth and Chuck enjoyed camping, taking several tent-camping road trips around the western United States before settling down with the boys. Later, they owned thirty-two acres on a wooded hilltop in Owen County, Indiana where they loved getting away for Summer weekends with family and friends.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, Clyde and Sada Owen, her husband, Chuck Taylor, and son Jeff Taylor. She is survived by her son Brian Taylor and his sons, Colin and Patrick Taylor, who she loved dearly and was immensely proud of. She may have been an only child, but twenty-one first cousins on the Owen side of her family were thought of as siblings as well.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, April 7th at First Baptist Church of Indianapolis, 8600 North College Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46240 from 11 AM to 1PM with a celebration of life to follow. Ruth will be laid to rest at Union Chapel Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be directed to Indiana Special Olympics or the Beginnings Preschool in care of First Baptist Church in Indianapolis.