Eben Taylor

Eben Taylor, pastor, Civil Rights advocate and social justice pioneer, died at the Martha Franks Retirement Center in Laurens on October 23, 2008.

Rev. Taylor, son of the late Eben and Elsie S. Taylor, was born in McClellanville, S.C. on January 23, 1925. He graduated from Wofford College and Duke University Divinity School. He received honorary doctorates from Wofford College and Claflin College.

Taylor served in the U.S. Army as an infantryman in Europe during World War II.

He was admitted to the S. C. Conference of the Methodist (now United Methodist) Church in 1953 and served congregations in Durham, N.C., North Charleston, Cayce, Columbia, Charleston Heights, Anderson, Greenville, Bennettsville, Laurens and Sandy Springs. He was elected to the General Conference of the Methodist and United Methodist Church five terms and the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference eight terms. He served two terms on the national General Commission on Religion and Race.

Taylor was a founding member of the S.C. Therapeutic Society which later became the Alston Wilkes Society; member, Board of Trustees of Columbia College and Claflin College; co-founder, Crisis Ministries in Anderson; and Soup Kitchen/Honorary member of New Beginnings Missionary Baptist Church; and many other service organizations.

One of Rev. Taylor’s proudest periods was as a member of the Merger Committee that brought together the two S.C. conferences of the United Methodist Church in 1972. It has been written: “Genuinely prophetic in his pulpit ministry, Eben Taylor was among the first, most persistent and unyielding Methodist clergy in S. C. to summon the church to a spirit of reconciliation and racial inclusiveness.”

Taylor was predeceased by his beloved wife of 56 years, Martha, and son, Eben Taylor, III. Surviving are children Mark Taylor (Suzanne) of Lexington, Charles Taylor (Florence) of Greenville and Stephen Taylor of Greenville. Also surviving are two sisters, Mamie Clara Baker of Charlotte, N.C. and Ann Taylor of Charleston; four grandchildren, Sarah, Ben, Mallary, and Wesley; and fourteen nieces and nephews.

A memorial piano concert will be played by his son, Stephen, at the Martha Franks Chapel on Wednesday, October 29, 2008, at 4:00 p.m.

A celebration of life will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Laurens (where he was a member and former pastor), on All Saints Sunday, November 2, 2008, at 3:00 p.m. , with Rev. Bill Rogers and Rev. John Culp as officiates. The family will receive friends starting at 1:00 p.m. in the sanctuary.

The family wishes to extend special thanks to caregivers and staff including Dr. Steven Corso, Dr. Mel Patterson, Myron Stockman, and Hospice of Laurens County.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of Laurens County, 1304 Springdale Drive, Clinton, S.C. 29325; county Hospice of choice; church of choice; or other service unit.

Gray Funeral Home of Laurens