Henry Lavell Taylor

Funeral Services for Henry Lavell Taylor, 91, of West Monroe, LA will be held at 2:00PM Tuesday, August 20, 2024, at Cedar Crest Baptist Church, West Monroe with Dr. Greg Clark officiating. Interment will be held in Kilpatrick’s Serenity Gardens Cemetery under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home, West Monroe.

Henry ‘Lavell’ Taylor peacefully passed away in his sleep on August 17, 2024, after a brief illness. Henry was born on January 2, 1933, in Extension, Louisiana to William Wavion Taylor, Sr. and Julia Graham Taylor of Fort Necessity, La. He graduated from Fort Necessity High School in 1951. After graduation, Henry proudly joined the United States Navy. He served aboard the USS Pochard, where he reached the rank of SK3 before being honorably discharged. Henry met the love of his life, Betty Jo Harper at Edgewood Baptist Church in West Monroe, LA. and they were married July 1, 1954. They had five loving children, Rhonda, Cynthia, Danita, Brent and Lori. He preached at several churches in Northern California until 1971 when he and his wife, along with their children relocated back to Louisiana where he continued his ministry at four other churches. He will be remembered for his love for his Lord and his mission to share the gospel message with everyone he met. His favorite pastimes were fishing, gardening, tinkering with things he would find, his strong work ethic and countless stories about his childhood and his time in the U.S. Navy.

Henry was preceded in death by his parents, William Wavion Taylor, Sr. and Julia Graham Taylor; two brothers, William ‘Bill’ W. Taylor, Jr. and Clifton ‘Cliff’ A. Taylor; three sisters Liola Johnson, Florece Butler, and Irene Gamberi; and one daughter, Cynthia Dianne Taylor. Henry is survived by his loving wife of seventy years, Betty Harper Taylor; daughters, Rhonda and her husband Ronnie Andrus of Greeneville, TN; Danita and her husband, George Hammons of Choudrant, LA, Lori and her husband Steven Arnold of Northville, MI; and one son, Brent Taylor and his wife Lori, of Scott, LA; ten grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Jared White, Chris Taylor, Justin Batterton, Matt Taylor, Jacob Giddings, and Will Giddings. Honorary Pallbearers will be Ross Andrus, George Hammons, Ronnie Andrus, and Steve Arnold.

Visitation will be held from 5:00PM until 7:00PM Monday, August 19, 2024, at Mulhearn Funeral Home, West Monroe.