Earnest Taylor

On Oct. 26, 1947, a child was born to Clarence and Dorothy Taylor. They named him Earnest Taylor. He would later become one of ten children, four girls and six boys. Being the second to the eldest in birth order placed an early responsibility on his life. At the age of 17, he recognized the need to step up to the plate and began working to supplement his mother’s income.

The lessons learned were invaluable. Through his difficult childhood, he soon realized that God had given him many special gifts, namely: leadership, discernment, and an insurmountable strength to overcome diversity. He served in the U. S. Army from April 16, 1968, to April 15, 1974.

Pastor Taylor accepted the anointed calling from God in 1996. He was the Pastor of Cameron Grove Baptist Church in Cameron from 2003-2015. One of his greatest accomplishments has been establishing the Blessings From God Food Pantry, which feeds 700 families and 1,500 individuals per month. The church also has a jail ministry, women’s ministry, brotherhood and mission. Pastor Taylor has served as a member of KAIROS prison ministry for nine years. He is also a member of the Central Texas Ministerial Alliance.

Pastor Taylor has been acknowledged as one of the most remarkable and notable African-Americans in his community. He has been known for his work with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for 35 years. He began serving one of many tenures as president of the Local Cameron Branch in 1980.

Last but certainly not least, he is married to Shirley Taylor and they are the pillars of their combined family of five daughters, Thetis Edwards (Sherman), Priscilla Malone (Bernard), Crystal Clayton, Dorothy Taylor, and Marissa Jones (James), and three sons, Earnest Taylor Jr. (Judy), Victor Powell (Mina) and Roderick Powell (Cathy). They have 21 grandchildren and one great-grandson who have Pastor Taylor’s heart.

He is also survived by his mother Dorothy Dean Taylor; by three brothers, Hubert Henderson (Cherry), Henry Taylor (Jessie Ann), and Willie Taylor (Mary); and five sisters, Emma Lawson (Billy), Paulette Blaylock, Shirley R. Bynaum, Gladys Keith, and Jessie Debose (Danny). 

He was preceded in death by his father, and by two brothers, Curtis Taylor and Leroy Taylor. 

Services for Taylor will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 19, at First Baptist Church of Cameron, with burial to follow in Oak Hill Cemetery.