Rachel H. Taylor

Rachel Hovis Taylor Died peacefully on December 30, 2018 at 97 years old. Rachel was born November 10, 1921 in Fayetteville, TN where she excelled in music, tennis, and Latin. She was valedictorian of her high school and played the piano for her church. Rachel attended Erskine College in Due West, SC. and graduated as salutatorian in 1944. She was then recruited by TVA as part of the WWII women’s work force that served our country and worked in Maps and Surveys for TVA during its initial building of dams from 1944-1952. Once in Chattanooga, Rachel attended Central Presbyterian Church where she met the love of her life, T.W. Jack Taylor. They married August 28, 1948.

They were very active in the life of Central Presbyterian where Rachel taught Sunday School, played the piano, sang in the choir, was missions chair and Bible study leader for Presbyterian Women. She became one of the first women ordained as elder and later served on many Presbytery committees. She continually supported John Knox Center. She loved the church and is now with the Church Triumphant. Rachel also supported her wider community through PTAs and the many swim teams and ball teams of her children. Rachel instilled a sense of glorifying God and enjoying God forever in her children.

Rachel and Jack enjoyed travel, especially with the BOMA organization. They traveled to England, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, and New Orleans, among other places. Her favorite story was seeing the total eclipse of the sun at Prince Edward Island and everyone singing the Doxology when the birds went to roost at mid-day darkness.

Rachel returned to the work force and worked at Standard Iron and Wire, a family owned business, and then back to TVA where she retired.

She is preceded in death by her loving husband, T.W. Jack Taylor and three brothers, William Hovis, Houston Hovis, and Charles Hovis. She is survived by four children, Mary (Dennis) Goodwin of Chattanooga, Linda (Gary) Steber of Davidson, NC, Tommy (Lisa Wells) Taylor of Carbondale, IL, Blair (Deborah Mitchell) Taylor of Milton, GA. Rachel was also proud of her 10 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. She has many nieces and nephews who survive her and two sisters-in-law, Janet (Charles) Hovis of Asheville, NC and Muriel (Sherwood) Taylor of Villa Rica, GA.

The family wants to thank the staff of The Lantern at Morning Pointe in Collegedale for wonderful care and love for the last 7 years. Thank you to Hearth Hospice for care in her final days. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Northside Presbyterian Church 923 Mississippi Avenue, Chattanooga, TN, 37405, or John Knox Center of the Presbytery of East TN 591 West Rockwood Ferry Road, Ten Mile, TN 37880.

After a private burial at the National Cemetery, a memorial service will be held at Northside Presbyterian Church on Monday, January 7 at 2 pm. The family will greet people after the service.

Arrangements are under the care of the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson. Please share your thoughts and memories at www.chattanooganorthchapel.com