Sylvester Taylor's Obituary
Sylvester Taylor, 72, of Chattanooga, passed away May 2, 2025, at his residence. He was born March 10, 1953, in Chattanooga, Tennessee to the late Fred and Helen Taylor. He was the youngest of 7 children. Sylvester was a 1972 graduate of Riverside High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
In 1973, he married his soulmate and the love of his life, Glenda Taylor. Over the years he worked as a folk lift driver for Royal Desota until they closed and retired from Schellecke Logistics at Volkswagen about 2 years ago. On the side he was busy doing what he loved, which was his self-taught trade of carpentry. He could build and design whatever you needed and was referred to as the “one man show”.
He was definitely one of a kind, sometimes with a rough exterior but inside a heart of gold. Those that have worked with him or came in contact with him at some point described him as standup, dependable guy that loved to share his wisdom and funny jokes. He was a Father figure and great dependable friend to many.
Sly loved spreading time with his family and friends, traveling, the Pittsburgh Steelers, fishing, and playing at the Casino. He is proceeded in death by his parents, Fred and Helen Taylor; mother-in-love, Catherine Williams; father-in-love James C Williams; brother, Leonard Taylor; sister, Clara Odom; brother-in-love, James C Williams, Jr.; nephews, Clarence Odom and Antonio Ealey; grandson, Pierre Horton.
He leaves to cherish his memories, his soulmate of 53 years of marriage, Glenda Taylor; daughters, Stephania Williams and LaShonda Taylor Swoope; goddaughter, LaTasha Jackson; sons, Kenneth Swoope; godson, Victor (Adrienne) Allen; grandchildren, Larry Smith III, Jermonique Toney Sr., Antonio Swoope, and KeNora Swoope; godgrands, Tamar Ford and Taeja Woods; great-grandchildren, Jermonique Toney Jr. (Tana), Zahria Smith, Neilan Toney, and Journey Toney; sisters, Esther Ealey, of Detroit, MI, and Freddie Howard, of Nashville, TN; brothers, Napoleon Taylor, of California, and James (Linda) Taylor, of Atlanta, GA; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends; special niece “of Uncle Joe Brown,” Franchatta Howard, of Nashville; siblings-in-love, Beatrice (Frank) Glasco, Aaron Williams Sr., Patricia (Ricky) Day, Laquita Bush, Clenneth Harris, Eric Crocket, Maurice Carter, Deborah Payne, and Barnadette Patton; devoted and dear friends and travel partners Reginald (Vernessia) Lattimore and Kenny Holt; lifetime friends and neighbors, Charles and Judy Brown.
Sylvester will lie-in-state on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, from 1:00-5:00 p.m. at Taylor Funeral Home. Funeral service will be Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 12 noon in the chapel with Elder G.M. Spotts as the Eulogist. Burial in Forest Hills Cemetery.
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