Barbara Alice Hill Taylor

Barbara Alice Hill Taylor, 88, of Morehead City, NC, passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 16, 2025, at Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation and Health Care Center. 

A funeral service to honor Barbara’s life will be held at 2 p.m., Friday, February 21 at First Methodist Church in Morehead City, officiated by Rev. Powell Osteen. Interment will follow at Gethsemane Memorial Park. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. For those unable to attend, the service can be viewed through her obituary page on Munden Funeral Home’s website. The service will remain on the Funeral Home website for 90 days.

Barbara was born November 28, 1936, in Beaufort, NC to Gaston Hill and Catherine Styron Hill. Following the death of her mother when Barbara was 3 months old, she went to live with her paternal grandmother Julia Daniels Hill in Atlantic, NC who raised her along with her father, Gaston, loving aunts and uncles, and later her stepmother Daphne and siblings Marsha, Sharon, Katherine, and Gaston Neil. She graduated from Atlantic High School in 1955. While in high school she played basketball at 6 feet tall. 

Barbara married Rodney B. Taylor of Sea Level, NC, who enlisted in the Coast Guard when he realized he had only 36 dollars in his pocket. They loved the Coast Guard, and it took them to many places including Fort Macon, Bermuda, Norfolk, and Rhode Island. While Rodney served at Fort Macon, Barbara worked at Sea Level Hospital as an aid revealing her lifelong dedication to caregiving and helping others. When they moved to Bermuda, she began life as a homemaker and started a family having children Rodney and Julia. 

Barbara loved cooking (including many dishes such as fried shrimp that you would swear were the best you ever had)! Barbara was incredibly creative, always exploring new skills and sharing with many family and friends her creations in sewing, ceramics, quilting, knitting, crocheting, and anything else your hands could do even including furniture refinishing. She was much loved by her children and was a determined supporter for them in school and sports showing up to all their games. Barbara was always ready to share her pride in the many successes of her children, Rodney and Julia! She was married to Rodney for 59 years and they enjoyed traveling to see her grandchildren in Los Angeles and to support Julia’s efforts as a leader at the Children’s Hospital in Greenville, NC. 

Barbara was a pillar of strength and support for her loved ones, extended family, neighbors, and friends. She had an incredible ability to make everyone feel valued and loved. One thing she is so proud of was being a founding member of the Prayer Shawl Ministry at the First United Methodist Church where many lives were touched by this group. 

Those left to treasure her memory are her son, Rodney Taylor of Los Angeles, CA; daughter, Julia Catherine Taylor Nelson and husband Todd Nelson of Morehead City, NC.; sisters, Marsha Tosto of South River, NC, Sharon Norman of South River, NC, Katherine Goodwin of South River, NC, brother, Gaston Hill of South River, NC; grandchildren, Chloe Taylor and Nico Taylor of Los Angeles, CA, Greg Nelson and wife Christie Nelson of East Moriches, NY, Zac Nelson and wife Allison Nelson of Beaufort, NC; and great-grandchildren, Banks Nelson, and Harper Nelson.

In addition to her parents, Barbara was preceded in death by her husband, Rodney B. Taylor.

The family wishes to thank First Methodist Church of Morehead City, family, and friends, for the love and concern they have shown Barbara through the years. Most importantly, we thank the staff at Crystal Bluffs Health Center, who cared for her so well the last 10 years.

In lieu of flowers, gifts can be made to the ECU Health Foundation, designated to James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital, P.O. Box 8489, Greenville, NC 27835 or via online at https://give.ecuhealthfoundation.org/childrens. For the last 39 years she has been a committed supporter of the Children’s Hospital, and nothing would honor her more than your donation to help the children of Eastern North Carolina.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory, Morehead City, NC.