Shirley Blanch Vickery Taylor, age 78, passed away peacefully on July 8, 2019, in Tallahassee, FL. From the time of her birth on September 21, 1940, to her death on Monday, she was a blessing in the lives of her family, friends, colleagues, and to all who knew her.
She was born in Cottondale, FL, and was the youngest of four children. When she graduated from Chattahoochee High School in 1958, she moved to Tallahassee where she met and married George D. Taylor in 1961; they were happily married for 52 years before his passing in 2013. In 1958, she began working at the Tallahassee Democrat and left in 1962 prior to the birth of the first of her three children.
In 1973, Shirley returned to work beginning her 30-year career with Leon County Schools. She first worked as the school bookkeeper at Caroline Brevard Elementary School until 1992, and then transferred to Chaires Elementary School as the bookkeeper until her retirement in 1998. Later, in 2005, she came out of retirement to work at Apalachee Elementary School until 2009. During her career with LCS, she loved working with students and teachers and remained close to many of her colleagues in the years following her retirement.
Left to honor Shirley and remember her love and kind heart are her three children, Danny (Susan) Taylor, Kevin (Wendy) Taylor, and Cherie Taylor Riles; her grandchildren, Randy Riles, Cody Riles, Wyatt Taylor, Courtney and Brandon Taylor; her brother, Horace Vickery; her sister, Leverne Vickery Dunham; her brother, Vernon (Dorothy) Vickery; and her beloved nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, William Wesley and Jecoliah Morris Vickery; her husband, George D. Taylor, Sr., her son-in-law, Steven Riles; and her grandson, Taylor Riles.
Shirley will be remembered for the love and care she bestowed on her family, friends, and to those with whom she worked. The family will greet friends from 6:00-8:00 PM on Friday, July 12, 2019, at Culley’s MeadowWood Funeral Home, 700 Timberlane Road. Funeral services will be held on 2:00 PM Saturday, July 13, 2019, at Culley’s MeadowWood Funeral Home, 700 Timberlane Road, with the Rev. Van Vickery officiating. Burial will follow at Culley’s MeadowWood Memorial Park in Tallahassee.
The family would also like to extend our gratitude to the staff and residents at Brookdale Hermitage Assisted Living for their attentiveness and loving care. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Foundation for Leon County Schools.
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