Mark M. Taylor

Quiet, reserved and logical are trademark qualities that friends and family might use to describe Mark M. Taylor. Mark was an intuitive person. He was the type of person who could comfortably get lost in his thoughts, someone who had tremendous problem solving abilities. Always conscientious and focused on details, Mark was a person who loved to imagine the possibilities of life.

Mark was born on September 30, 1965 at St. Mary's Hospital in Jefferson City, Missouri. He was the son of Thomas and June Taylor. He was raised in Barnett, Missouri. Mark did not have to surround himself with people to be content. He was the type of person who enjoyed being alone rather than be part of a large crowd. He could be content for hours in some activity or be lost in his own imagination.

Mark was adaptable and had good listening skills which he would use to his advantage when it came to family life. He grew up with two siblings. He had two brothers, Charlie and T.L. He rarely shied away from family discussions. He would debate with his siblings but if it turned into an argument, Mark would often turn it into an agreement. In general, the family got along well and shared many memorable experiences.

In grade school, Mark gravitated toward others who shared similar interests and enjoyed academics more than physical activity. He was always curious about what made things work, and he would excel at the things that called more for "brain" power. He delighted in the projects that required planning, exploration and solution. Mark's most memorable achievement was being gifted in Mathematics and being able to do complex math equations in his head. As was evident by those who knew him, his most fun was to be found in books and in research.

During high school, Mark excelled at the challenge of learning and was especially good at taking tests and exams. He could delight more in problem solving than in the more routine school work. As long as the intellectual challenges kept coming, Mark was happy. He graduated from Eldon High School in 1984. His favorite classes in high school were any that had to do with Mathematics. The teacher he enjoyed learning from the most was Mrs. Spencer. Mark was known for scoring in the 98th percentile on his SAT.

Although Mark had a small group of friends, they were a close knit group and he enjoyed spending time with them. He liked to be able to engage them in discussions on the many topics he found interesting. Those who knew him well might describe Mark as a good listener who could bring out a type of understanding from those around him that even surprised them. He was passionate in his commitments and would never intentionally hurt anyone. While growing up, some of his best friends were Wayne Krug, Shane Thomas, Donny Hess and T.J. Geiger. Later in life, he stayed in touch with and was lifelong friends with Wayne, Shane and Donny.

Mark was a hard worker and a good provider who loved his family even though he wasn’t very demonstrative. Mark was blessed with one son, Thomas. Mark's sense of fun was often unleashed in his puns and witty, intelligent quips. It delighted him when his family would banter back and forth with him in this brainy exchange of mind contests. Tommy always knew how much Mark loved him.

Finding the right type of job can be a challenge for anyone, but that was especially true for Mark M. Taylor. He needed to find a career that would challenge him. Fortunately, he found a career path where he could use his natural intellect and his natural critical thinking skills. His primary occupation was drywall finishing. He was employed for 15 years with various employers. Mark was a dedicated and valued employee and was respected by his colleagues for his ability to grasp and understand difficult concepts.

Hobbies were more than fun for Mark because he challenged himself to learn the theory behind the actual activity. Knowing how things worked was more incentive than just performing and completing the task. His favorite pursuits were driving the back gravel roads around Barnett, Missouri and different types of crafts.

Mark found great pleasure by relaxing and watching sports on TV or in person. He was an avid student of the game and enjoyed comparing his ideas and choices with what actually happened during the game. Even though he generally would keep his feelings to himself, Mark would often use athletic events and sports as an outlet. He also enjoyed just being a sports fan. Tops on his list was St. Louis Cardinals baseball.

Any number of community organizations were glad to have Mark as part of their group. He was able to bring a very high level of intelligence and involvement to these organizations. Mark was sought out to be a part of these groups because of his ability to take a strong course of action and to evaluate any issue that faced the organization, serving the community of Barnett, Missouri in several different ways.

Mark M. Taylor passed away on February 3, 2014 at Windsor Estates, Camdenton, Missouri. Mark fought and lost a battle with COPD. He is survived by his son Thomas (Tommy). Services were held at Phillips Funeral Home, Eldon, Missouri. Mark was laid to rest in Greenmore Memorial Gardens in Barnett, Missouri.

Those who knew and loved Mark will miss his quiet gentleness, his curiosity and his ability to often turn work situations into fun experiences. He leaves all those who knew him with many wonderful memories.

Mark M. Taylor, 48 of Barnett, Missouri passed away Monday, February 3, 2014 at Windsor Estates in Camdenton, Missouri. He was born on September 30, 1965 in Jefferson City, Missouri, the son of the late Thomas B. and June (Lawbaugh) Taylor.

He is survived by his son Tommy Taylor of Lake Ozark, MO, and brothers, T. L. (Janice) Taylor and Charlie (Helen) Taylor, both of Barnett, MO.

Visitation will be Thursday, February 6, 2014 from 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM at Phillips Funeral Home of Eldon, MO with the Funeral Service beginning at 2:00 PM with Rev. Ronnie Hess officiating.

Interment will follow at Greenmore Memorial Gardens in Barnett, MO.

Memorial are suggested in Care of the Family.

Arrangements are under the direction of Phillips Funeral Home of Eldon, MO.