Becky Creed Taylor

Becky was one of 8 children, she had 5 sisters and 2 brothers. She talked about her siblings often. She was a twin at birth and her twin was stillborn. She was so small she slept in a shoebox, and her family was so poor that her mother, who she and her siblings always called Mama, fed Becky Karo syrup to keep her alive. Their family were sharecroppers, she remembered cotton and pecans, and being horrified when her brothers were given the assignment of killing chickens to eat. Her family once lived on a train car and she made her own mattresses.

When Becky was very young she went to live in a Children's Home. She watched the St. Louis Arch being built as a child and could see it from her room. Aside from several foster families, she stayed with the children's home until she was 18. She graduated Valedictorian of the class of 1972 from Doniphan Senior High in Doniphan, Missouri, and was proud of the leading rolls in her school performances. After high school, she went on to live with her big sister Lou, and helped on the family farm while also working and paying for her own college education. Becky was hard working, well versed in "earning" her keep, kind and loyal to her family. She loved her brothers and sisters dearly and although most of them were adopted from the children's home and went to join other families, they all stayed in touch, against the odds.

She moved to Greensboro, North Carolina, was married, and had two children, Patrick Ryan and Lindsey Anne. Becky was a homemaker and was really good at it. She was very tidy and could bring order to any chaos. She had very good taste in fashion, makeup, housewares, music, the fine arts, pottery and cooking. She became an expert at cross stitch, played piano and painted. Becky loved entertaining and enjoyed her family most of all.

Becky was married in the Moravian church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She had converted to Moravian, and not overtly religious, but would tell you she was Christian. She was a member of the first Moravian church and is featured in the first Moravian cookbook. She enjoyed the sisterhood at the church, wearing the long skirts and bonnets, and making beeswax ,candles at Christmas time in the shop behind the church building, which her daughter, Lindsey remembers, along with passing buttery Love Feast rolls. She taught Lindsey to make Moravian sugar cake. The secret is in the dark brown sugar and potatoes.

Spending hours and hours reading was a love of Becky's, and would often reread her favorite books over again. She spent most of her time reading outdoors, because she simply loved being outdoors. From the time her children were a few months old, she would take the kids camping, sometimes for weeks at a time. It may have been unconventional but she loved nature. She would say nature was her church. She took notice of the smallest, tiniest life, such as being outside watching a ladybug on the ground and appreciating its ladybug life and considering that time well spent.

She was more patient than other people, actually more patient than most people. She was a dreamer, and dreamed of beautiful scenery. She dreamed of togetherness, again, with her family. She had new dreams- of a Nanna Pod in Lindsey's backyard, endless sleepovers with her granddaughter, her "special girl". She had plans for a covered porch, connecting her house with Lindsey's. She wanted to paint a big mural of flowers on the garage. Her family wanted so badly to give her that final home. They were so close, she was gone too soon, and the garage walls are white and blank.

In addition to her mother, Becky is preceded in death by her sisters, Lou Rodgers and Judy Thompson; and her brothers, Buddy and David Creed.

Becky is survived by her sisters, Marie Holeman, Joy Brumble, and Marilyn Jones; her children, Patrick and Lindsey Taylor; and her granddaughter, Leanne Salter.

A Celebration of Life for Becky will be held Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at 11:00 AM at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 200 SE Maynard Road, Cary, North Carolina 27511.