Ethel R. Taylor
“Nanny”
January 25, 1941 – January 10, 2019
On Thursday, January 10, 2019 at the age of 77, Ethel Ruth Taylor entered the gates of heaven and eternal peace after her long struggle with Dementia and related complications, at the Genesis Waugh Chapel Center. She was a loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend.
Ethel was born on January 25, 1941, the daughter of the late Francis M. Brown and Sylvia “Teeny Mama” Brown Myers. She grew up in Prince Georges County living with her mother and siblings: Francene, Roland (Jack) and Glenda in the house of their loving grandmother, the late Maude “Big Mama” Savoy-Brown and her late husband Harry Brown. In this house, Ethel and her siblings were also raised alongside several of Teeny Mama’s siblings. Richard “Little Richard”, Ricardo, Altheria, Patricia, Keith, and Rebecca would later be added to the family through Sylvia’s marriage to Richard Myers.
Ethel attended Mt. Nebo Elementary school in Mitchellville, MD and graduated in 1959 from Anacostia Senior High School in Washington, DC. She and her sisters were all active “tomboys”. She loved track and playing softball and would later play in numerous adult leagues. You could always point Ethel out, yes, she was fast as lightning and was good for a triple or homerun each game. Later, she also developed a love for bowling and the game of golf.
Glenda and Francene recall some of those Saturday mornings when they were supposed to be doing their chores, but they would spend most of the time dancing and singing until they were caught by Teeny Mama! Singing would later become a much bigger part of Ethel’s life.
While in high school, Ethel met a young, smooth, good-looking man from rival Spingarn Senior High School (Robert Taylor), who she fell in love with and would marry on March 26, 1960. They would later have two sons, Robert Jr. “Bobby” and Anthony “Tony”.
Ethel loved to sing and shared her strong faith and belief in Jesus Christ at an early age. One of the favorite sayings of her grandmother “Big Mama” was that “a family that prays together – stays together!” Ethel would join the Savoy/Brown family as a member of the Mt. Nebo AME Church in Mitchellville, MD, which was founded in June 1887. The little wooden church on the hill would be filled each Sunday with many relatives and would birth the renowned Mt. Nebo Gospel Singers in 1949, which Ethel joined in 1956 at age 15. She would later become a primary lead vocalist. During her 50 plus years with the Mt. Nebo Gospel Singers, Ethel was able to share her God-given vocal talent and her love for music. She also served as Choir Director at Mt. Nebo for the Inspirational Choir, Young Adult Choir, and was the first Director of the Brotherhood Choir. Ethel would later accept a calling to the ministry and became an ordained minister and member of the pastoral staff at Refuge Church Ministries, Inc. Robert and Ethel became active members of Church of the Redeemer in 2012.
Throughout the years the Taylor residence would become a common resting place for many family members and friends. It was not uncommon for the family to gather there on all occasions allowing Ethel to give that extra dose of tender loving care she was so good at. Later after the grandchildren (Jeremy, Justin, Brian, Sean and Kara) were born, her name would forever be affectionately changed to “Nanny”. Young Brian was able to live with Nanny and Pop-Pop (Robert Sr.) for many years and was blessed with an extra dose of Nanny’s musical and spiritual talent.
She leaves her loving memories to be cherished by her husband of 58 years, Robert Taylor Sr.; their sons Robert Jr. and Tony (wife Tamee); five grandchildren, Jeremy, Brian (wife Lauren), Justin, Sean and Kara; two great grandchildren, (from Brian & Lauren) Judah Daniel and Selah Grayce; five sisters, Francene Foote (husband Phil), Glenda West, Altheria Myers, Patricia Myers and Rebecca Smith-Jackson (husband Carlton); four brothers, Roland Brown Sr. (wife Anita), Richard Myers Jr. (wife Ellaine), Ricardo Myers (wife Denise), Keith Myers (wife Susan), and many aunts, an uncle, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
Ethel joins her mother, Sylvia, her father Francis M. Brown, step-father Richard Myers and Big Mama in heaven.
Safely Home -
I am in Heaven, dear ones; Oh, so happy and bright!
There is perfect joy and beauty in this everlasting light.
All the pain and grief is over, every restless tossing passed;
I am now at peace forever, safely home in Heaven at last.
The family wishes to thank all of those who shared their love for Nanny, prayed for her and cared for her during her illness.
Services:
Viewing to be held on Thursday, January 17, 2019 at 10:00 am followed by a Celebration of her life service at 11:00 am at the Church of the Redeemer, Clarksburg Campus, 22616 Gateway Center Drive, Clarksburg, MD 20871. She will be interred at George Washington Cemetery 9500 Riggs Rd, Adelphi, MD 20783.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Ethel’s name to the Joseph A. Gilmore Adult Day Care Center, 608 Largo Road, Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20774.
Pallbearers:
Keith Myers,
Charles “Chazz” Smith,
Troy Smith,
Justin Taylor,
Sean Taylor,
Mark West
Alternate Pallbearers:
Phil Foote,
Brian Taylor
“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
– Unknown
