Rev. Dr. Alva Melbourne Taylor, 88, of Natick, formerly of Scituate and East Weymouth, died Sunday May 8, 2011 at the Mary Ann Morse Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Natick.
He was the beloved husband of Dr. Susan Garrett Taylor.
A Natick resident for the past 11 years, he was born in Huron SD, the son of the late Eugene Cowles Taylor and Elizabeth Greene Taylor and brother of the late Edward Cowles Taylor
Dr. Taylor was a United Church of Christ minister and pastor for 36 years, retiring in 1992.
He was the pastor of the East Weymouth Congregational Church from 1986-1992, served as a psychiatric social worker at Valley Adult Consulting Service in Milford and Whitinsville, and held pastorates at Congregational churches in Paxton MA, Clear Lake SD, Garrison ND and Pelham NH. At Garrison he researched and recommended a site for what is now Charles Hall Youth Services.
Dr. Taylor graduated from Andover Newton Theological School in 1956 and received his Doctor of Ministry in 1978.
Dr. Taylor was a World War II veteran, serving in the United States Navy, and was a graduate of Huron College class of 1948.
He was a member of the First Congregational Church of Wellesley (Village Church) and was active in the Disciples Bible study group for ten years.
In addition to his wife Susan, he is survived by four children, Dr. Stephen Taylor and his wife Octavia of New Braintree, Dr. Claudia Taylor of Brookhaven NY, Tracy Taylor and his wife Jan of Concord, Anne McAuliffe and her husband Ted of Natick, and by daughter-in-law Virginia Taylor of Lyndeborough NH, daughter-in-law Michelle Morgan Stewart of Milford, 15 grandchildren, 9 great grand children, several nieces and nephews, and his former wife Charlotte Mangan of Worcester.
He was the father of the late Nicholas Taylor and the late Stephen Morgan.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend his funeral service on Thursday, May 12, at 10:00 A.M. in the First Congregational Church of Natick, conducted by the Reverend Victoria Alford Guest, Pastor. Interment will be announced at a later time.
Visiting hours are on Wednesday, May 11, from 5:00 to 8:00 P.M. in the John Everett and Sons Funeral Home, 4 Park Street, at Natick Common.
Expressions of sympathy may be made in Dr Taylor’s memory to Charles Hall Youth Services, P.O. Box 1995, Bismarck, ND 58502-1995.
For directions or to send the Taylor family online condolences, please visit www.everettfuneral.com