Eva Taylor

February 16, 1940 - September 18, 2020

Eva Taylor, 80, of Louisville, KY, passed away peacefully on Friday, September 18, 2020. Eva was born in Morgantown, KY, on February 16, 1940, to the late Mary Ruth and Darrell Griffith. In 1954, she and her family moved to Louisville, where she lived for the rest of her life. She graduated from Atherton High School, where she was voted “Most Intelligent” in her class, and the University of Louisville, where she was President of the Pi Beta Phi Sorority, studied French, and was the Editor of the Thoroughbred Yearbook. After a successful career in the insurance business, and surviving breast cancer 38 years ago, she dedicated her time volunteering with the Louisville Ballet and passionately caring for her seven grandchildren. Eva was active in the Pioneer Sunday School Class at Christ Church United Methodist and the Woman’s Club of Louisville, and she forever enjoyed spending time with her high school classmates and dearest lady friends having lunch and hosting and attending tea parties. Eva was deeply adored by everyone that knew her and she always loved social gatherings and being surrounded by friends and family, and quite often was the “life of the party”. Eva was kind to the very core, compassionate, gentle, caring, faithful, loving, and soft-spoken. She always maintained a great sense of humor and loved to laugh, smile, give big hugs, and enjoy life to the fullest. She was extremely devoted to her family and treasured spending time with all her children and grandchildren. Eva is survived by her husband, John Taylor, her son Michael Ray (Tamber) of Great Falls, VA, her daughters Shannon DeWeese (Steve) of Louisville, KY, and Liza Orr (Shane) of Denver, CO, her stepdaughters Rebecca Knell (Peter) and Malissa Ralston (Andrew), and her brother Bob Griffith (Stella) of Statesboro, GA. She is also survived by her beloved grandchildren Taylor and Tanya Ray, Shawn, Ally, and Kate DeWeese, and Christian and Addison Orr, her step grandchildren Benjamin and Rachel Knell, and Jackie, Emmy, and Paul Ralston, along with a nephew, Robert Griffith, and a niece, Katherine Brown (Kelly). A private visitation for family was held on September 19, 2020, and a memorial service will be planned for the near future at Christ Church United Methodist. The family wishes to thank the wonderful staff and caregivers at the Barton House Memory Care Facility, where she resided for the last six months. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that expressions of sympathy be made to Breast Cancer Awareness organizations or the Louisville Ballet.