Nathaniel JC Taylor

Deacon Nate Taylor was born in Waterloo, Iowa on September 24, 1955 to his mother Betty Lee Saddler and his father Nathaniel Taylor. He was the first born of six children to this union. 

He attended church at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Waterloo, Iowa. There he sang in the choir, and also sang in a local traveling youth community church choir called African Palace.

After graduating from East High in Waterloo, Iowa in 1974, he attended Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa where he played saxophone in the marching band. Deacon Nate continued his education at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa where he played saxophone in the jazz band. There he received his Bachelor Degree in Communication in 1978.

Most of his work career took place at Nabisco in Portland, Oregon where he worked as a supervisor, and at Townsend Farms in Fairview, Oregon where he worked as a Quality Assurance Manager. He retired from Townsend Farms in December of 2022.

Deacon Nate joined St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church April 1990, under the Pastoral leadership of Pastor James C.E. Faulkner, and then Pastor Craig L. Brown until the Lord called him home on January 21, 2025. He served as the Chairman of the Deacon Board, Trustee, Bible Study Teacher, Sunday School Teacher, Vacation Bible School Teacher, and served as Executive Board Member overseeing Congregational Care and Music, Media, and Technology. Deacon Nate loved music, especially jazz and gospel, and worshipped the Lord every Sunday by playing his saxophone. Over the years, he sang with the Praise and Worship Ministry, Men’s Chorus, and various choirs.

In 1993, he started dating his wife Renee (Dansby) Taylor. Several years prior to that, they had become acquainted through the friendship of their sons Kerel and Omar, and were married in 1994. They enjoyed 30 years of marriage, where they shared the love of their blended family.

Deacon Nate enjoyed a simple life. He absolutely loved going to church, serving and fellowshipping, and rarely missed a Sunday. His hobbies included playing his horn, growing houseplants, enjoying good food, and trying new recipes he found on the internet. He also enjoyed traveling with his wife, and visiting with his children, grandchildren, and his large family.

Deacon Nate is preceded in death by his father Nathaniel Taylor. He is survived by his wife Renee Taylor, mother Betty Phillips, daughters Tasha Moore, Talibah Taylor Allen (Erick), Adia Taylor Crawford (Darryl), Aminah Chambers, and sons Kerel Taylor (Shunteshia) and Omar Chambers, his sisters Paula Williams (Keith), Tara Washington, brothers Troy Taylor (Rosa), Jeremy Taylor (Kathleen), and Damion Taylor (Maggie) as well as a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and many other family members and friends.

Our beloved Deacon Nate will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Nathaniel JC Taylor, please visit our floral store.