Avlon Conwell Taylor

Avlon was born on December 14, 1925 in Warrenton, Fauquier County, Virginia, to Lloyd Conwell Anderson and Lucy Menora Coons Anderson. She attended public schools in Warrenton, Washington, D.C., Richmond, Virginia, and Virginia Beach, Virginia, where she graduated from Oceana High School. After her 1948 graduation in advertising art from Richmond Professional Institute, an extension of the College of William and Mary, Avlon worked as an illustrator for the Quartermaster Corps of the U. S. Army at Fort Lee, Virginia. She and Edward Pitts "E.P." Taylor married in Richmond, Virginia, in 1950. They started married life in Blacksburg, Virginia, where Avlon (who was nicknamed Mike in college) worked for the staff of the Agricultural Education Department at Virginia Tech until 1952 when E.P. completed his architectural degree. After living in several cities in the East, including Knoxville, Tennessee, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Taylors moved to Texas. Homes in Texas included Dallas, Irving, Lubbock and Houston. By now having two Texans motivated the Taylors to continue to live in Texas rather than go back East. They moved from Houston to Amarillo in 1961, happily put down roots and became long-time members of First Presbyterian Church. Mike's avocations included reading, writing, pencil drawings, watercolors and needlework. Her writings consist of a Civil War novella and a collection of short stories set in the Civil War era. Non-fiction pieces included a journal intended for the families. Mike was devoted to her family, her husband's family, many local friends and those who became close friends down through the years. Mike's volunteering in Amarillo included church activities and political campaigns. For ten years each she served as a volunteer for the Sunshine Club for the Blind and for the H.O.S.T.S. program. She had been a member of Panhandle Professional Writers and Thursday Bible Study. She was employed by Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Amarillo until joining her husband in operating a bookstore in 1993. E.P., who was retired as a professional builder and Mike fulfilled a life-long dream-owning a bookstore. The store, located in West Hills in Amarillo, was named One More Time. After E.P.'s death in 1999, Mike continued to operate the bookstore until 2006. Both Mike and E.P. were ardent students of history, especially the Civil War era and after settling in Amarillo, they became very interested in the history of the Texas Panhandle and New Mexico. As a history buff, Mike learned she was a direct descendent of Carter Braxton, a Virginia signer of the Declaration of Independence. On her father's side of the family they were related to U. S. Chief Justice John Marshall who also was from Fauquier County, Virginia. Many Virginians in the late eighteenth century were related and as Braxton and Marshall were cousins of Robert E. Lee, Mike claimed a round- about kinship to General Lee, her all-time favorite hero. She is survived by her daughter, Julia Scott Taylor Koumalats, son-in-law James "Jim" Koumalats, grandson Scott Douglas Koumalats, his wife Kallie Clayton Koumalats and a granddaughter, Taylor Anne Koumalats, all of Amarillo. Other grandchildren who live in Lawrence, Kansas are, Whitney Taylor and great granddaughters Joliauna Raine Borges-Taylor and Jade Raquel Borges-Taylor. Grandson, Joseph Anderson Taylor, Jr., his wife Kristl Llamas Taylor, and great granddaughter Isabelle Ann Taylor also reside in Lawrence. She was preceded in death by her parents, her son, Joseph Anderson Taylor in 1998 and by her husband E.P. in 1999. Also preceding her in death were her sisters, Catherine Berenice Anderson Fox of Miami, Florida, in 2000 and Erva Elizabeth Anderson of Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 2002.

Visitation Schedule

Cox Funeral Home 4180 Canyon Drive Amarillo, TX 79109 Friday, January 15, 2016 6:00-8:00 P.M.

Service Schedule

Church Service First Presbyterian Church 1100 S. Harrison Amarillo, TX 79101 Friday, January 15, 2016 10:00 a.m.

Burial Schedule

Llano Cemetery Amarillo , TX