EDWINA ELAINE TABOR TAYLOR

Edwina Elaine (Tabor) Taylor ("Sissy" to her family) of Athens, Alabama, passed away suddenly but peacefully on August 17th, 2021, at the age of 58 after a determined battle against metastatic breast cancer.

Edwina was born in Bluefield, West Virginia, to Velva (Jackson) Tabor and Thomas J. Tabor, Sr., on July 28th, 1963.  She graduated from Graham High School in 1981 where she was involved in band and theater.  Edwina married Matthew D. Taylor on May 8th, 1983, at Varney Church of God in Varney, West Virginia. As a military spouse who moved frequently, she worked in a variety of fields (both overseas and across the country) until the birth of her second daughter, with her final employment as a medical office administrator in Memphis, Tennessee. Edwina chose family over career, but continued to apply her keen intellect to a lifetime of learning and helping others.  She loved gardening, travel, beaches, animals of all kinds (but especially dogs - adopting 15 rescues over 37 years), and, above all those, her family. Politically active and proudly patriotic, she dedicated her unwavering support to her spouse during his 35 years of active duty military and Army civilian service. Selfless by nature, she accepted the sacrifices required of military families and continued to provide encouragement, advice, and support to others through personal and online relationships during their most difficult times even while fighting her own fierce battle.

Edwina was preceded in death by Thomas J. Tabor, Sr. (father), Etta Tabor and Martha Jackson (grandmothers), James E. Taylor (father-in-law), Mary E. Taylor (mother-in-law), James D. Taylor, Karen A. Taylor, Betty J. Taylor (siblings by marriage) and Jeremy O. Taylor (nephew).

She is survived by Matthew D. Taylor (husband) of Athens; Brittany M Taylor (daughter), Mallory N (Taylor) Glenn (daughter), Velva J Tabor (mother), Thomas J Tabor, Jr. (brother), Debra Tabor (sister), Adam Tabor (brother), Noah C. Glenn (grandson and the apple of her eye), Raelynn G. Tolliver (granddaughter),a host of nieces and nephews and six rescued dogs (Daisy, Georgia, Minnie, Santa, Holly, Noel).

Memorial services will be held on Sunday, August 22, 2021 from 12 pm - 1 pm for visitation with family, followed by a memorial service from 1 - 2 pm at Dudley Mortuary  in Bluefield, Virginia. Burial service will follow at a private cemetery in Delbarton, West Virginia,  and will be restricted to the immediate family.

While Edwina dearly loved flowers and was a prolific gardener, in lieu of flowers please consider adopting a shelter animal or making donations to an animal shelter, cancer research, or to a blood bank.