Pink Taylor, Jr.

Pink Taylor, Jr., 85, Fairmount, passed away at 8:32 am on Sunday, March 16, 2025, in his home. He was born in Lake Providence, Louisiana, on Friday, January 26, 1940, to the union of Pink Taylor, Sr., and Estella (Crockett) Taylor. Pink accepted Christ on August 13, 1953, and was baptized into the Evening Star #1 Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. R.B. Allen. He graduated as Salutatorian of the Class of 1958 from G.W. Griffin High School.  Pink had a brief stint at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  He attended Indiana Business College and American Technical College, and he graduated from the College of Advanced Traffic. Pink was employed by Marion Poultry, Professional Arts Center, St. Regis Paper Company as Personnel Manager, Sonoco Products, and briefly at RCA and General Motors.  He was also employed at Dana Corporation, where he was the first African American supervisor at the Marion plant.  He retired from Dana on August 1, 2005. In 1959, Pink joined St. Paul Baptist Church under the leadership of Dr. R.H. Faulkner, where he was a member until 1985.  He then joined Grace Missionary Baptist Church under Pastor Edward McDowell.  In 2005, he joined the Greater New Light Baptist Church, pastored by Dr. Larry Batchelor.  He then attended Mercy Baptist Church, pastored by Rev. Todd Graham.  Lastly, he joined and attended Grace Missionary Baptist Church under Rev. William Gibson. Pink loved good gospel quartet singing.  He sang bass with the Evening Stars in the 1950s when he was 13 years old!  In the 1960s, he sang with the Zion Pilgrims.  He also sang with and directed the St. Paul Male Chorus.  Additionally, he sang at many weddings in the Marion area in the 1960s. Pink had many hobbies that included woodworking, quilting, cooking, watching football, and gardening.  He was featured in the Chronicle-Tribune for his woodworking in 1978 and in the Marion Quilters Hall of Fame for his quilts in 2011.  He also won Grand Champion and First Place on two of his quilts at the Grant County 4-H Fair in 2015.  He also loved fishing, and his most prized catch was a 70-pound Halibut he caught while fishing in Alaska. Pink leaves to celebrate his life, his wife, Pamela; sisters, Ada Long of Detroit, MI, Nan Gaddis of Detroit, MI, and Elizabeth Cockrell of Raleigh, NC; one brother, Henry (Debra) Taylor of Marion; children, Rev. Arthur (Rhonda) Taylor of NJ, Douglas (Tina) Taylor of Anderson, and Olivia (Tederail) Walker of Killeen, TX; step-children, Curtis (Terri) Thomas of Indianapolis, Monica (Darrell) Clark of Marion, Teresa Thomas of Marion, Ramona (Chris) Smith of Indianapolis, Willie (Teresa) Burnett of NC, and Deia (Christopher) of Delphi; 38 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; as well as a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and neighbors who will miss him greatly. He was preceded in death by a son, Odie Thompson, Jr.; brothers, Sidney Taylor and Fred Taylor; nine sisters, Minnie B., Jinnie, Olivia, Annie Lou, Bessie, Edna, Shelly, Tempie, and Savannah; sister-in-law, Ada; and brothers-in-law, Robert McNair, John Gaddis, Marvin Cockrell, and Alton El-Amin. The family will receive visitors from 10:30 am to 12:00 noon on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at Grace Missionary Baptist Church, 2409 S. Nebraska St., Marion, IN. Immediately following the time of visitation, a service to celebrate Pink's life will begin at 12:00 noon with Rev. Todd Graham, Rev. Stanford Bolden, and Rev. William Gibson officiating.  Burial will take place at Grant Memorial Park. Arrangements are entrusted to Needham-Storey-Wampner Funeral & Cremation Service, North Chapel, 1341 N. Baldwin Ave., Marion, IN. Memories may be shared online at www.nswcares.com.