Mrs. Carolyn Jeanette Watkins-Taylor

Born on February 27, 1948 in Washington, D.C., she was the 11th child of Jessie Lelia Veney-Watkins and Leo Alphonso Watkins. She attended Eastern Senior High School, and graduated class of 1966. After completing a year at Rockford College in Rockford, IL she returned to D.C. where she worked for a short time with the telephone company, then began her career with the Federal Government in 1972. While working successfully as a Federal Government employee, earning numerous awards and honors, she earned her B.S. from Park College in Parkville, MO in 1997 and her MBA from Webster University In St. Louis, MO in 2004. In 2004, Carolyn retired after 32 years of Federal Civil Service, which included the Department of the Army and Department of the Air Force. Her career fields in the government spanned from logistics management to publication and electronic publishing management.

Even after retirement Carolyn held her Project Management Professional certification, and continued to expand her knowledge of proposal writing for government contracts, which was the basis for her self-owned business, Accenda, launched in October 2007. Accenda was successful at procuring and executing contracts with PbSi, US Army European Regional Medical Command and MDOT, just to name a few. After a few years of restructuring the company, Carolyn decided to focus on proposal writing. She finally closed the company in 2017, but continued to focus on proposal writing for friends and business associates.

Carolyn was a devoted Christian, and a dedicated tither. She adored her family, and took pleasure in spending time with them, whether it was conveying life lessons or just playing board games. Carolyn enjoyed traveling no matter what the transportation - planes, trains, automobiles and boats. She was a world traveler. Because of her warm and pleasant disposition, she had no problems making friends, many of which remained life-long. She was also an avid learner. During her last days she was learning to play the piano, practicing German, taking an online philosophy course and being vetted as a proposal writing for AWS (Amazon Web Services). Due to her sudden illness she was unable to complete the interview process, but we are certain she would have landed the job because she knew her stuff.

Carolyn was preceded in death by her Father, Leo Alphonso Watkins, Mother, Jessie Lelia Veney-Watkins, and brothers and sisters, Meredith (Fuzzy) Watkins, George Alphonso Watkins, Ralph Arnett Watkins, Sr., Reginald Leo Watkins, Noble Josephus Watkins, Bernice Marcelia Watkins-Shorter, Lorraine Althea Watkins (died as a toddler), Bridgette Watkins (died as an infant) and Vira Watkins (died as an infant).

Carolyn leaves to cherish her memories her loving husband of 19 years, Harry C. Taylor, adoring children, Gerald Brown, Jr. and Kimberley Y. Brown-Snell, brother, Shelton C. Watkins, sister, Ivy I. Watkins-Harris, four grandchildren, Jasmine D. Brown, Aaron R. Doughty, Tiara A. M. Brown and Kimball J. H. Brown-Snell, two great grandchildren, Al Chambers, II and Amara S. Doughty and an abundance of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.