Joyce C. Taylor

Joyce C. Taylor, 91, of Levelland, Texas, passed away peacefully under palliative care at Covenant Hospital in Lubbock, Texas on August 12th, 2022, after a 15 year battle with Alzheimer’s.

Joyce Corine Skinner was born September 27, 1930 to Horace and Dovie Skinner of Hallsville, Texas. She grew up on a farm with five siblings, two wonderful parents, and a love of the outdoors and nature that was forever present in her life.

She graduated Marshall High School in 1948, and moved to Seminole, Texas to begin her first job in the Gaines County courthouse in the Tax Assessor’s office. It was there in the courthouse she met the love of her life Billy R. Taylor.

Joyce and Bill were married July 20, 1951. In 1952 they moved to Levelland, Texas to start their family and new job as Hockley County Agriculture Agent. From 1953 to 1955 they served at the US Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and then returned to Levelland. They were married for 62 years.

Faith, friends and family were an important part of her life. She was not one to sit around, so while raising and caring for her new family, Joyce was a very active member of the First Baptist Church, including teaching Sunday School, was very involved in the local 4-H programs, PTA, Women’s Home Demonstration Club, Garden Club, a talented artist and decorator, an avid reader and seamstress, a green thumb gardener, and an excellent cook. In her empty nest years, she attended various classes at South Plains College, and also earned her Real Estate License. She also loved working and volunteering with her close friends at the Covenant Hospital in Levelland.

Joyce and Bill retired in 1985 to build their dream cabin in Colorado, and until her 80th birthday spent equal time in Levelland and Colorado. She cherished and loved her friends from Levelland, and from Colorado; and spent many hours entertaining, traveling and socializing with them. Joyce and Bill were very active and loved the Sonshine Senior Choir at the First Baptist Church, traveling across the United States and performing in their retirement years. She also loved traveling to many places not yet explored; and more importantly visiting and taking care of her two grandchildren, Ryan and Ann Elise, any chance she had. In recent years she loved nothing more than visiting the family ranch, seeing family and friends; and getting out and enjoying her continued love of nature and the outdoors, while feeding and petting every ranch animal she could find.

She loved growing up in the piney woods of East Texas, and would travel back there to visit any chance she had. She often joked about the 1949 transition from East Texas to West Texas, forests to sandstorms. However, when given the choice of where to be laid to rest, it was an immediate response; Levelland was home and always would be.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers and two sisters-in-law; two sisters; two nieces; and her husband, Bill.

Joyce is survived by her son Brett G. Taylor of Dallas and Palo Pinto County; her daughter Leesa Taylor Jones of Monument, Colorado; her grandson Ryan C. Taylor of Austin; her granddaughter Ann Elise Taylor of Chicago; sister-in-law, Wilma Gantz of Albuquerque; brother-in-law, Jeff Taylor of Tyler; and some very special nieces and nephews, each one whom she adored with all her heart. Special acknowledgment of her caregiver of 10 years, Brenda Perez of Lubbock and her daughter Michelle Luna, that Joyce truly loved like family.

If a donation is desired in lieu of flowers, please consider the Bill and Joyce Taylor Scholarship in Commercial Music at South Plains College.

Services are scheduled for 2:00 pm Wednesday, August 17, 2022 in the Krestridge Funeral Home Chapel. Interment by family will be private. Officiating will be Jim Leggitt and Jack Ayres.  Serving as pallbearers are Kirk Rogers, Craig Blair, Ray Grappe, Robert McGuire and Cole Garner. Honorary pallbearers are Edward Ratcliff, Dan Cobb, R.E.Bullin, Cecil Reed and Max Newman.

Arrangements are under direction and personal care of the professionals at Krestridge funeral home, Levelland, Texas, 806-897-1111.