Mrs. Willa Taylor

Celebration of Life

Mrs. Willa Dorsey Taylor

July 16, 1924 – February 12, 2024

Willa Dorsey Taylor, a beacon of grace with a bright smile, transitioned from this life on February 12, 2024, at the age of 99.  Born July 16, 1924 in Americus, Georgia to the late Charles and Edith Dorsey, Willa spent most of her childhood in Cleveland, Ohio, with her siblings Charles Dorsey, Jr. and Katherine Valentine. After graduating from John Adams High School, her family moved to Nashville, Tennessee.  In 1947, she married the love of her life, Wallace H. Taylor at Clark Memorial United Methodist Church.  They were married for 43 years until his death in 1990.  They had three children: Metro Council Member and State Representative Edith Taylor Langster, Judith (Larry) Ann Burkes, and Wallace (Sandra) H. Taylor Jr.  

She earned a nursing degree from Brewster Hospital and Nurse Training School in Jacksonville, Florida.  This nursing school was opened in 1901 and was established to train and educate black women to become nurses.  Through her vigor and caring personality, she became the first black nurse at Baptist Hospital where she worked for 19 years.  She then enrolled at Tennessee State University, formerly known as Tennessee A & I State University, and earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Work.  She then earned a master’s degree from Fisk University.  She was faithfully employed as a social worker with the Metropolitan Government and Central State Hospital, now known as Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute.  After 25 years of service as social worker, she retired in 1991.

Upon her retirement, she was an active member of the Red Hat Society, the North Nashville Organization for Community Improvement (NNOCI), former board member of the Lloyd C. Elam Mental Health Center Advisory Board, the 700 Bridge Club, the Garden Club, former president of the North Nashville/ Meharry Chapter of AARP, and member of the Nashville Chapter of Tennessee State University Alumni Association.  She was a faithful member of Clark Memorial United Methodist Church, served as a communion steward, and was a member of the United Methodist Women for over 30 years.  She also assisted with the meals on wheels program and the United Men’s Fish Fry at Clark Memorial United Methodist Church.  She was member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated for over 50 years and was an active member of the Pi Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated.  Both Willa and her husband were avid supporters of Tennessee State University’s “Big Blue” football program.  She loved to travel and attended a mission trip to Jerusalem with Clark Memorial United Methodist Church.

Willa is preceded in death by her brother Charlie Dorsey, her sister Katherine Valentine, her husband, Wallace H. Taylor, and her daughter Judith (Larry) Ann Burkes, and her devoted cousin Hilda Morrow.  Willa leaves behind to cherish her memories: children Edith Taylor Langster and Wallace (Sandra) H. Taylor Jr., grandchildren Travis (Andrea) Langster, David (Carmen) Langster, Amy Davis, Adora (Benjamin) Rogers, Wallace S. Taylor, and Kristen Leandra G. Taylor; great-grandchildren Brianna Langster, Avery Langster, Lauryn Langster, Kayla Langster and, Kyle Langster; her faithful friends Laura Flowers, Dr. Janet Parham, Vera, Jamie and Jackie Merritt, Dr. Helen Houston, sorority sister Dorothy Johnson, the Pi Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, loving nieces and nephews in Painesville and Cleveland, Ohio, and a host of family and friends.

Please keep the Taylor and Langster families in your thoughts and prayers.