Leroy Emory Taylor

Leroy Taylor was born on January 4, 1923, in Plattsburgh, NY, to Rev. Edwin and Nina Taylor, and died on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, at Mission Point of Superior Woods in Ypsilanti MI., with family nearby. After growing up in Cincinnati and serving in WWII, he received a Bachelor of Music Degree from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. Leroy took a position as Director of Music at First Methodist Church in Port Huron, MI, where he met and married Virgene Sluyter. The Sluyters and Taylors moved back to Virgene’s hometown of Fenton in 1953 where they lived until moving to Linden in 1994, then to Ann Arbor in 2005. He and Virgene were loving caregivers and significant influences in their grandson's life, and became members of First Presbyterian Church, Ann Arbor.

Among Leroy’s many interests were flower gardening, photography, and woodworking, having taken up all three from his father. While a postal carrier and rural deliverer by day in Fenton, Leroy remained active as church organist for many years at Fenton United Methodist Church, and other churches in Holly, Fenton, Flint and Milford, MI. For two years, he was Dean of the Flint chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Both he and Virgene remained active church members in the Wesley Fellowship of FUMC.

He was preceded in death by Virgene in 2013, and formerly by brother Martin in CA and sister Betty Ross in Cincinnati. He is survived by son and daughter-in-law, Edwin R. Taylor and Faith A. Ferry, of St. Petersburg, Florida; daughter and son-in-law, Martha M. Farmer and Terence I. Farmer and grandson, Clayton S. Farmer of Ann Arbor; along with three step-grandchildren and seven step great-grandchildren.

Committal shall be on April 23, 10am, at Fairview cemetery in Linden, whereupon his ashes shall be laid in the family plot alongside those of his wife. At 1pm that same day a Memorial service in honor of his greatest and beloved music passions shall take place at First Presbyterian Church, Ann Arbor MI.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the AGO Ann Arbor chapter, the 'National Wildlife Federation'., two of Leroy’s beloved organizations, or to the Music and Fine Arts fund at First Presbyterian Church, Ann Arbor.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.