Reverend Paul D. Taylor – Mount Lebanon

On Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2019, the Reverend Paul D. Taylor moved to eternity’s silent chamber from the little house by the side of the road where he was born on March 25, 1949, and his heart remained in Fairmont, W.Va., the oldest of four children of the late Arthur James and Catherine Dooley Taylor. Paul was baptized at Trinity United Methodist Church, Fairmont, W.Va., at age 12 and became an active member of Warren (Hill District) United Methodist Church when relocating to Pittsburgh, Pa. Paul graduated in 1971 from Fairmont State University with a Bachelor of Arts and in 1974 graduate from West Virginia University College of Law with a Doctor of Jurisprudence. He earned a Master of Divinity degree in 2006 from the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and was commissioned a provisional elder in the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church in 2006 and ordained an Elder in 2009. On Aug. 4, 1973, Paul was united in marriage to his beloved wife, Loretta Jefferson Taylor. From this union, they were blessed with twin daughter and son, Christine D. Taylor and Paul D. Taylor II. Paul had a 27-year secular career as a corporate attorney, starting in 1974 as a staff attorney for Consolidated Natural Gas Transmission Company in Clarksburg, W.Va. Eventually Paul was Deputy General Counsel-Employment, Labor and employee benefits at the time of his retirement in 2001 from Consolidated Natural Gas Company (Dominion Energy). Paul also served as an adjunct professor at Fairmont State University for 14 years. With the support and encouragement of others, Paul enjoyed a vocational calling as an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church and had the sacred opportunity to serve as Pittsburgh District Superintendent of the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference. Previously, Paul was blessed to serve as senior pastor at Bethel (Lower Burrell) United Methodist Church (2008 – 2014) where he experienced God’s story of love, grace, and community that created a “thin place” as heaven and earth came together as one. During his service as associate pastor at Garden City United Methodist Church (2006 and 2008), Paul learned the transforming power of disciple formation. Paul was forever grateful for Calvary (McKeesport) United Methodist Church (2001 – 2008) that received him as pastor on faith as pastor with no training or experience and walked alongside him to develop and nurture him as a God-centered pastor. Grace alone! Beneath Paul’s credentials, vocational calling and career was one who loved and treasured family and desired to be a friend to all. Paul’s treasured memories are his children’s piano and vocal recitals, violin concerts, soccer and little league games, rain-soaked camp outings, museum and field trips with nephews and nieces, beach and historic site vacations with extended family, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and family holidays gatherings with extended family. His soul’s desire was to “live in a house by the side of the road where the race of humanity goes by—some good, some bad, some are weak, some strong, some wise, some foolish—but so am I. And be a friend to all [humanity].” In addition to Paul’s parents and wife, he was preceded in death by his brother, Frederick D. Taylor; mother and father-in-law, William and Kathryn Jefferson; three sisters-in-law and one brother-in-law; nine paternal and maternal aunts and three maternal uncles. Paul is survived by two children, Christine D. Taylor and Paul D. Taylor II; sister, Mary K. (McArthur) Tate of Fairmont, W.Va.; brother, Daniel (Diane) of Sterling Heights, Mich.; maternal aunt, Betty (Ronald) Howard of Detroit, Mich.; three sisters-in-law, Kathryn Jones of White Lakes, Mich., Joyce (Ossie Sr.) White of Bowie, Md., and Linda Washington of Pittsburgh; uncle-in-law, John Taylor (Gladys Shambor) of Akron, Ohio; three godchildren, Catherine Tate, Monique Washington and Gabrielle Washington, and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. Friends and family will be received from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, at GREENLEE FUNERAL HOME, 619 Main St., Bentleyville. Additional viewing will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, 11 a.m. the hour of services at Grace United Methodist Church, Coal Center. Interment will follow in Beallsville Cemetery, Beallsville. In lieu of flowers, make donations to American Lung Association, UM Foundation of Western Pennsylvania, Home of Hope in Nyadire, Zimbabwe, or WPA Annual Conference of The UMC’s Camping Initiative. Online guestbook and personal condolences may be accessed at www.GreenleeFuneralHome.com.