Jane Llull

She was born July 11, 1946 in Gadsden, Alabama, the daughter of the late Col. David Taber and Zadie Mae Wilson Taber. Everyone knew her as Jayne Taber Llull, but to me she will always be Mom. She was caring, had unwavering passion for everything she cared about, and was the embodiment of what every kid would want for a mom! She loved to read, follow what was going on in politics, and loved to garden. She had soul in her heart and it was conveyed in the music she listened to, the sounds of R&B and Jazz. But the music of her heart was Motown. She did not get up and dance very often, but when the “THE FOUR TOPS” or Marvin Gay came on the speakers, you’d better believe she was getting on the dance floor.

My Mom was also an avid lover of animals. During the 42 years that I have been alive she has always had a pet. All the animals she has had over years have filled her heart with great joy, but there is one animal that she could never own that gave her great joy and that was elephants.

If anybody has been to her home, Jayne might have not been able to have an elephant as a pet, but she sure did collect items that looked like elephants. She had always been drawn to them from how majestic they looked, how they were intimidating, but kind, and how they looked after each other: especially how mothers without the males would protect their newborns as they migrated through the Savanna of Africa. I don’t think it is a coincidence that she was drawn to elephants, I think they were a mirror that reflected her; she was beautiful inside and out. I will acknowledge that she could be feisty at times but it always came from a place of fairness which I think equates to kindness. The type of kindness that means “Do unto others as you would have done to yourself”. She had the ability and strength to take on the privilege of being a single mother when it was not the en vogue at the time.

She also pushed the ball forward for women in workplace, just like an elephant does with its trunk to move the herd forward. And that is not the only significant role elephants have played in Jayne’s life.

I would like to share Jayne Llull’s most unwavering passion of all time, and that would be The University of Alabama, where she graduated from Alabama’s school of business. She did not pick the university of Alabama because the mascot was an elephant, but I do think it was serendipitous that was an elephant. Now let's get off the elephant “rat poison” (Nick Saban) and say Jayne’s most unwavering passion was Alabama Football!

She bled Crimson and White. Nothing gave her greater joy than watching Alabama football. She would schedule her whole life around Alabama games during her retirement. As the Nick Saban era has ended and the new era is beginning, she seemed nonchalant about it. But what I think she was really thinking was like Shania Twain said “That don’t impress much” you might think that sounds cocky, but hear me out. I am not sure everyone reading this is a college football fan, but Bear Bryant and Nick Saban (both Alabama coaches) who are arguably two of the greatest head coaches in college football history and have amassed 12 national championships combined. To a sports fan, that is a lot of joy over a 78 year life span and so she did not need a new era of Alabama football. The University of Alabama has already given her knowledge, confidence, and the ability to strike up a conversation with anyone, because at least one person in the room knows about Alabama football. People are complicated and no one really knows how people really feel, I for one am someone who does not believe in absolute certainty, but in my bones I know that Jayne/my mom was fulfilled in one of her great passions in life.

I know that sounds trivial but at least I can take solace in knowing that I am 99% certain that Alabama football fueled her life with joy. What I am trying to say is life can be hard but passion for things can leave us with indelible memories of joy that can never be replaced.

My Mom/Jayne never wanted passing away to be treated with sadness but more a celebration of life, so I can’t think of any better celebration than saying ROLL TIDE TO JAYNE!

She is survived by her son, Taylor Llull of Greensboro; nephews, Michael Taber and Taber Fielding; niece Molly Fielding: and her dog Piper .

At this time, no services are scheduled to be held.