A native of Tallulah, LA, he was a 1959 graduate of Mississippi College where he was a member of the football team, and of Louisiana State University School of Medicine in 1963. He completed a general surgery residency at the University of Tennessee, Memphis, where he was chief resident. He then co-founded Surgical Associates of North Alabama in Decatur, AL, where he practiced general, thoracic, and vascular surgery for 52 years. Dr. Naylor was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a member of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama, and served on the Board of Censors for the Morgan County Medical Society. He was also chief of staff at both Decatur General and Parkway Hospitals. Throughout a long and storied career, Dr. Naylor received many awards and served as a medical missionary in Honduras, Guatemala, and Zambia. He was an Eagle Scout, avid outdoorsman, and member of First Bible Church, Decatur, AL.
He was preceded in death by his son, Matthew Naylor, and parents Lionel Z Naylor, Sr., Ivie Naylor Lewis, and Col. James Lewis. He is survived by his wife, Chandra, and their son, Luke Naylor, M.D. Also his children: Cathy Story (Ed), Renee Rush, Jeanne Haugen (George), Lionel Z (Trey) Naylor lll (Blair), and Nicole Klooster (Craig). He is also survived by 13 grandchildren: Chase Story, Chris Story, Caleb Story, Madison Papich, Victoria Haugen, Charis Beliveau, Will Haugen, Michaela Benjamins, Kate Naylor, Thomas Naylor, Clay Klooster, Wyatt Klooster, and Olivia Klooster, and also 4 great grandchildren.
He is also survived by sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law Sylvia and Ron Sykes and Suzette and Philip Tew, nieces and nephews Jamie Sykes (Pam), Andrea White (Michael), Ken Tew (Kristin), and Miriam Ruoff, M.D. (Garrett).
Visitation will be held at 12:00PM followed by the funeral service at 1:00PM First Bible Church, Decatur, AL.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers memorials be directed to First Bible Church, Decatur, AL, earmarked “missions”.
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