Charles Taylor

Charles Richard Taylor, 92, of Chattanooga, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014. He was born Nov. 2, 1921 in Sao Paolo, Brazil. Son of missionary parents, George and Gladys Taylor, Charles spent his childhood in Brazil, Chile and Argentina. He returned to the States to finish high school and attended Pacific Union College, graduating in 1942. He married June Laura Hulbert on August 20 of that year, then served a short time as an evangelist in Santa Fe, N.M. In 1943 he accepted a position at what was to become Antillian College in Santa Clara, Cuba. For the next 32 years he worked in the Inter-American Division of Seventh-Day Adventists as teacher, youth leader, school administrator and Division Education Secretary. He received a Ph.D. in education from the University of Maryland in 1965. In 1975 he was elected to a position in the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in Washington, D.C. He was an associate secretary and then secretary of the General Conference Education Department. Later he worked as assistant to Neal Wilson, president of the General Conference. He was instrumental in the founding of Global Mission. Following a late retirement, he travelled widely with his wife and their friends, and enjoyed contact with a far-flung circle of friends connected with his work for the church around the globe. In 2006, he and June moved to Collegedale to be near their son David. He died in the Hospice Care Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee at the age of 92. He is survived by his wife, June; his son, David Charles Taylor and wife, Ann; two daughters, Myrna Jean Taylor and Donna June Evans; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Many of his students and co-workers from Inter-America stayed in touch with him throughout his life and will remember him with great affection. He dedicated his life to the work of the church and lived with integrity. His children especially remember and appreciate his patient and gentle caring for his wife in their last years together. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014, in the Valley View Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home with Pastor Dave Smith officiating. Interment will be in Collegedale Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Collegedale SDA Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 3002, Collegedale, TN 37315. Please share your thoughts and memories online at www.ChattanoogaValleyViewChapel.com. Arrangements by Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory & Florist, Valley View Chapel, 7414 Old Lee Highway, Chattanooga, TN 37421.