Terrel L Taylor

Terrel Lester Taylor was born in Bluejacket, Oklahoma September 6, 1935 in the middle of the Great Depression as his father, Ross, and mother, Grace, struggled to run a small grocery store. He graduated from Bluejacket High School and went on to Oklahoma Christian College in Bartlesville, where he met Charlotte. Charlotte and Terrel were married October 31, 1954 in her hometown, Boise City, OK. The couple celebrated their 65th anniversary October 31, 2019. Terrel died Wednesday morning, April 29, 2020. He was 84 years old. The Taylors began attending the Dewey Church of Christ in 1963. When he was only 32 years old, Terrel contracted with the church to build the house of worship that is still in use. The Taylors tried to have every person in the church and guests into their home for meals. Terrel’s and Charlotte’s supreme goal has been to meet the Lord when they die and call everyone they know to that same deep desire. Following Jesus and the words of scripture have always been the Taylors’ highest priority in life. Terrel wanted to be remembered as a person who loved God and loved people. Founding Terrel Taylor Company in 1958 alongside his father, Ross Taylor, Terrel has built more than one thousand homes. Customers (many repeat), suppliers, and subcontractors often say they love the quality of homes built by Terrel. While he enjoyed business with many partners, he particularly loved working with his father and his son, Brent, in building homes for thousands of families in the Oklahoma and Kansas area. In addition to building homes, Terrel also traded a lot of cars, often to give a vehicle to a missionary, family member, or someone in need. He didn’t boast about these good deeds and generosity to his church and community, but he instead often quoted Jeremiah 9:23-24, “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. Referring to these last years of his life as the “ninth inning,” Terrel encouraged everyone to make the most of the one life we’ve been given. Terrel would often say he shared accomplishments with his wife of sixty-five years, Charlotte. He was very grateful to his loving wife for constant, tender care. Terrel is survived by brother Rudy and his wife Kathy Taylor and sister Karen and her husband Bob Harmon, and their families, and the families of two sisters and a brother-in-law who preceded him in death, Donna and Loy Mitchell, and Shirley Helms. He is survived by brother-in-law Ray Helms and his family. Terrel is also survived by his wife, Charlotte, five children, eleven grandchildren, and one great grandchild. Their firstborn is Terri from Searcy, AR. Son Brent and his wife, Karen Taylor, live in Bartlesville. Their children are Lauren and Beck Martin, Jenna and Andrew Fisher, and Brandon and Elizabeth Taylor. Daughter Debbie and her husband, Jim French, also of Bartlesville, have a son, Joel, daughter Hannah and son-in-law Brad Grimm. Son Toby and his wife, Debbie Taylor, of Utica, NY, have three children: Drew and Brittany Taylor and their son, Daniel, Toby’s and Debbie’s first grandchild and Terrel’s and Charlotte’s first great grandchild; son David Taylor; daughter Emma and her fiancé Tyson. Son Greg and his wife, Jill Taylor, live in Broken Arrow. Their children are Ashley Taylor, Anna and Brendan Sexton, and Jacob and Sidney Taylor. Visitation is at Stumpff Funeral Home, 1600 SE Washington Blvd., Bartlesville, OK, Friday, May 1, 9 am - 8 pm, Saturday May 2, 9 am - 12 pm. Family Graveside Service 2 pm, Saturday, May 2 at Dewey Cemetery. All are invited to celebrate the life of Terrel Taylor Saturday, June 20, 2020 (Time TBA) at the Dewey Church of Christ, Dewey, OK. In Lieu of flowers, donations can be offered in honor of Terrel Taylor to build low income housing in North Tulsa, OK. Make checks to “1256 Movement” ℅ Taylor Homes, 3650 CAMELOT DR, BARTLESVILLE, OK, 74006. Write info.1256homes@gmail.com or call Greg Taylor (918) 576-8442 with questions or for more information.

Terrel L Taylor

September 6, 1935 - April 29, 2020