Harlin B Taylor's Obituary
DECATUR – Harlin B Taylor, 79, of Decatur passed away at 1:16 a.m. Tuesday, April 20, 2010, at the Lawrenceville County Memorial Hospital, Lawrenceville. Services to celebrate Harlin’s life will be 10 a.m. Saturday, April 24 at Graceland/ Fairlawn Funeral Home with the “Flight Home” Ceremony to conclude the service. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 23 at the funeral home. Interment with Military Honors will be in Arthur Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to continue Harlin’s charitable endeavors to the wishes of the family. Online condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.gracelandfairlawn.com.
Harlin was born June 12, 1930, in Decatur, the son of Hurshel and Delma (Butrum) Taylor. He married Violet M. Ford on March 2, 1958, in Decatur. Harlin retired from the Decatur Public School District’s maintenance department in 1994 after 20 years of service. Previously, he worked as an electrician, auto mechanic, and maintenance supervisor at the Wabash Hospital for 12 years until it closed in 1972. He served in the Illinois National Guard’s 44th Division, Service Company 130, activated in 1952 during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in September 1953. Harlin was a member of the Charles Parlier Chapter 24 Korean War Association Veterans, Pedal Steel Guitar Association, Southern Kentucky Genealogical Society and the Macon County Farm Bureau. Harlin also co-chaired the annual Wabash Hospital Former Employees Reunion with his wife, and served as the past president of the Refrigeration Service Engineers’ Society, completing all three years of the society’s electrical, refrigeration and air conditioning courses. He received an honorary Life Membership in the Illinois Parent-Teacher Association and was active in the Boy Scouts when his sons attended Roach Elementary School. An avid Blue Grass lover, Harlin played anything with strings, including the guitar, bass, steel guitar and banjo. He knew no strangers and loved to talk, especially on the topics of nationalities and genealogy.
Surviving are his wife; daughter, Dawn Shuff of Lawrenceville; sons, Larry (Denine) of Dalton City and Gary (Lisa) of Decatur; grandchildren, Andrew Cox, Ryan Cox, Evan Shuff, Rendi Shuff and Avery Shuff, all of Lawrenceville; Benjamin Taylor and Kyleigh Taylor of Dalton City; Kelley Taylor (David Smith) of Lovington; Ashley Rueff, Stacy Burrous, Phillip Burrous and Justin Taylor, all of Decatur; great-grandson, Liam Cox of Albion; niece, Vanessa White of Springfield; nephew, Capt. Aaron T. Taylor of Washington, D.C.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Charles and Vesper; great-grandson, David Smith II.
A mini-philanthropist, Harlin believed in sharing what God had given him with others in need, whether it be money or other material blessings. His thoughtfulness for others and curiosity of the world around him will be greatly missed.
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