Lewis County Herald - Serving Hohenwald, Lewis County Tennessee Since 1898

Mable Kathleen Bates Taylor, 97, died January 14, 2021.

She was born August 17, 1923, Mable was the youngest of eight children of the late John Francis Cordelia (J.C.) ("Kirk") Bates and Mary LouAnna Coble Bates, lifelong residents of the Beaverdam community of Hickman County.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James R. (J.R.) Taylor, Jr., retired Hickman County barber (Taylor's Barber Shop) and farmer; and sons, Homer Taylor and Ronnie Taylor.

She was a member of Brushy Church of Christ. Mable was active in collecting local records and history as well as researching the genealogies of her Bates, Coble and Peeler ancestors. Talented and hardworking, she sewed, canned, milked cows and raised tobacco. Like many of her generation, Mable was an excellent "scratch" cook known especially for her grape jelly rolls that started with the Concord grapes grown in her backyard, rhubarb pies, pear preserves, freezer slaw, cornbread cornsticks, pecan pie and, her favorite, coconut cake. She saw beauty in everything in the world around her and was especially alert for an unusual rock or pretty leaf while working in the garden and fields or walking across the pastures. Her yard always had something blooming. She had a can-do attitude from a lifetime of hearing her parents say and later repeating it herself: "Able Mable can do anything."

In addition to her parents, husband and sons, she was preceded in death by seven siblings: Irrie Frances Ruth (Connie) Mayberry, Sarah Beulah (Rev. Carnell) Shepard, Emmitt Joe Kirklin Bates, Claude Everette Bates, Ernest Walker (Annie Laura Pierce) Bates, Ruby (Jack) Pierce, and Lucy Bell (Grover) Johnston.

She is survived by daughter, Anne (Danny) Powell, Oak Ridge; grandchildren: Harber (Richard) Ingle, Oak Ridge; Nathaniel (Heather) Powell, Knoxville; Conrad (Danielle) Powell, Oak Ridge; Brandon (Rebecca) Taylor, Lawrenceburg; Jennifer (Michelle) Taylor, Dickson; Amber (Garrett) Gordon, Centerville; Laura Taylor, Hohenwald; and 17 great-grandchildren including Mabel Powell; three step-great-grandchildren; two step-great-great-granddaughters, six nieces and nephews and many great-nieces and great-nephews.

Graveside service was held Saturday, January 23 at Milan Cemetery with Bill McDonald officiating.

McDonald Funeral Home in Centerville assisted the family with arrangements.