Robert Ed passed away peacefully on October 15, 2014 surrounded by his family. During his 83 years, Robert Ed touched the lives of countless individuals through his ministry and teaching at Centenary College of Louisiana and numerous Methodist churches in Louisiana and Texas. He held the T.L. James Chair in Religion at Centenary and served as Chaplain and Chairman of the Religion Department as well as Professor of Religion. Upon his retirement from Centenary College he was named Professor Emeritus. During his 38 years at Centenary he also served as Acting Dean and Assistant to the President as well as Director of the Church Careers Program, Director of Church Relations and founding father of the Iota Theta Chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilson Fraternity where he also served as its faculty advisor. Dr. Taylor served as Pastor of Longstreet UMC, Stonewall UMC, Keatchie UMC, First UMC in Zachary, LA, Associate Pastor at UMC, Baton Rouge, LA, and Pastor of Ringgold, and Montague UMC in Texas.
Dr. Taylor was retired as an Ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church from the Louisiana Annual Conference in 1996 after 42 years of service. He held a B.A. from Centenary College of Louisiana, Master of Divinity and Master of Sacred Theology from Southern Methodist University, and a Doctor of Ministry from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
Robert Ed filled his retirement years with an array of interests including being a member of the Shreveport Art Club as an accomplished oil and watercolor artist.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Robert Gray and Elizabeth Currie Taylor of West Monroe, LA. Robert Ed is survived by his wife, Norma Sue Shackelford Taylor; his son Robert Marshall Taylor of New York City; his daughter Kathryn Elizabeth (Libby) Burkhalter and her husband Steven Don Burkhalter of Shreveport; his grandchildren Lauren Elizabeth Blanco and husband Mark Blanco of Springfield, MO and Taylor Lewell Burkhalter of Shreveport.
Serving as honorary pallbearers are Wilfred Guerin, Neil Johnson, Earle Labor, Lee Morgan, Andy Shehee, Don Webb and the members of the Tau Kappa Epsilson Fraternity.
The family suggests memorial gifts may be made to Centenary College of Louisiana, 2911 Centenary Blvd., Shreveport, LA, 71104.