Henry Cook Taylor, Sr.

A service celebrating the life of Mr. Henry Cook Taylor, Sr. will be held 10 am Monday, November 15, 2010 at the First United Methodist Church of Natchitoches with Rev. Doug De Graffenreid officiating. Interment will follow at American Cemetery under the direction of Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 4pm until 6 pm on Sunday, November 14, 2010 at the First United Methodist Church Cross Roads Chapel. Mr. Taylor, 75 years of age, passed away Friday, November 12, 2010 with his family by his side. He was born July 28, 1935 to the late Herman Taylor, Sr. and late Sadie Camille (Cook) Taylor in Natchitoches, LA. Henry was a life long resident of Natchitoches and graduated from Natchitoches High. He received a degree in Geology from Louisiana State University where he was a member of SAE Fraternity and also attended LSU Law School. He proudly served his country in the United States Army and was stationed at Fort Benning, GA. Henry was truly an entrepreneur and began his working career as a stock broker for E.F. Hutton in Baton Rouge and New York City. He later became an owner of the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Natchitoches, Leesville and De Ridder. He was also the owner of Christmas Tree Ranch in Meeker, CO. He proudly served on many boards including; National Soft Drink Association, Louisiana Cattleman Association (serving as president of Natchitoches Cattleman Association) and City Bank & Trust of Natchitoches, where he was chairman of the board for many years. He enjoyed being outdoors and was an avid hunter. He was a member and supporter of Ducks Unlimited and The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Anyone that met Henry knew him as a generous and an extremely hardworking man that always lived his life to the fullest. He will be dearly missed but always remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Georgie Cayer Taylor “Jokie”; daughter, Sadie Taylor Delatte of River Ridge and her husband Roy and their children Emily Ruth Delattte and her daughter Lillian, Adam Taylor Delatte and his wife Taryn and their child, Evan; son, Henry Cook Taylor, Jr. of Natchitoches and his children Katie Taylor Mix and her husband Jeff and their children, Andre and Taylor; Kendra Elise Taylor and Shelby Taylor Strahan and her husband Joshua and their child Alyssa; son, William Alexander Taylor of Natchitoches; daughter, Alice Taylor Tallis of Baton Rouge and her husband Mark and their children Geoffrey Reid and Audrey Louise Tallis. He was survived by a brother, Scriven Taylor of Natchitoches and his wife, Marilyn. He was preceded in death by a brother Herman Taylor, Jr. and a half sister Marjorie Taylor Liner. Those honored to serve as pallbearers include Mike Miller, Mike McCullick, Jim Collins, Ken Guidry, Ed Breedlove and Joe Pierson, Jr. Honorary pallbearers will be Larry Crocker, Bruce Phillips, Dwayne Murphy and Scriven Taylor. Memorials in Mr. Taylor’s name may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Natchitoches Building Fund and/or the American Cemetery Association.