A note from the family: We wish Dad, who was a writer, had pre-written his own obituary. Since he did not, we worked together to summarize the highlights of his amazing journey. He was the best father and we know we will see him again in the Kingdom to come.

– David, Andrea & Amy

Karl Kay Taylor, 85, passed away peacefully on September 5, 2024 at Snyder Village, Metamora. He had recently moved from Reflections Hollybrook in Morton. He was the only child of Harry and Edna Thurman Taylor. He was born in Peoria December 2, 1938, but knew Elmwood, Illinois as his home where his parents owned and operated the Penny Super Market (1927 – 1962). Many of his childhood experiences, in particular the wonderful people he knew while growing up in Elmwood inspired many of the essays he published on his blog: StoriesFromSmallTownIllinois.com

Karl met the great love of his life, Nancy L. Coon, when they were in high school. They met at a basketball game when Elmwood played Brimfield. Their first date*, when Nancy was 15, was to see “Three Coins in a Fountain” in Peoria, followed by a stop for ice cream at Hunt’s Drive In.

After graduating from Elmwood High School in 1956, he went on to Knox College where he joined the Phi Gamma Delta social fraternity as well as participated in the ROTC program. He initially majored in business with the plan to take over the family grocery store, but he changed his major to English with a goal to become a teacher and perhaps one day a writer. He graduated from Knox in the spring of1960 and then went to University of Illinois to start working on a master’s degree.

* The story of Dad’s 1st date with Mom can be found in “Remembering Merle,” an essay about his father-in-law.

Karl and Nancy were married on September 3, 1961. They took a honeymoon trip to Niagara Falls. The young couple moved to Champaign, Illinois, where Nancy worked as a bank teller while Karl completed his master’s degree and earned his teaching license in 1962. Then Karl went into the Army. Their first child, David Karl, was born in 1964 while they were living at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. Karl was an officer acting as the base commanders’ clerk. During his service he achieved the rank of Captain.

In 1965 he completed his military service and the young family moved to Canton, Illinois so Karl could begin teaching at what was then known as Canton College (now Spoon River.) Nancy worked in the college bookstore, until their second child, Andrea Rosemary, was born in 1965. Two years later in 1967 Illinois Central College (ICC) opened their doors to students, and Karl was excited to join as one of the first members of the faculty. As a result, the family moved to Washington, where their third child, Amy Jo, was born in 1970.

Karl was blessed to have great teachers growing up and he was determined to become a good teacher himself. His students at ICC voted him the first Teacher of the Year in 1972. Over the next three years he authored three college text books which featured examples of his students’ essays. In 1975 he became the chairman of Adult Basic Education. In the 1980s he served as coordinator and chief fundraiser for the Optional Education Program that oversaw tutoring programs for more than 1000 students in 30 area high schools.

In 1978 Karl completed a PhD program while working full time and commuting to Champaign weekly. His dissertation was entitled “If Not Grammar, What?” He led hundreds of teacher training sessions on how to teach writing. During a Sabbatical from ICC he taught elementary students of many ages.

After his teaching experiences, he then moved on to envision, develop and fundraise for a new alternative high school and drop-out prevention program. He acted as the first principal and supervised the full-time teachers as well as 80 part-time instructors. He also began writing grants which soon resulted in an extra $500,000 year to the college. From 1988 to 1997, he served as the Executive Director of the newly developed ICC Foundation. During his tenure he grew the foundation from $250,000 to $2.5 million. In total, Karl successfully wrote more than $25 million in grants to help students at ICC. He retired in 1997.

After about a week, Bradley University (BU) offered him the position of Senior Development Director in which he oversaw Corporate and Foundation Relations. He loved his job at BU and worked there until he finally retired in 2006.

Known to some as a gentleman farmer, Karl inherited land in the rural Peoria county area and added to his portfolio throughout his entire life. He was an academic who knew the ins and outs of selling corn and beans and raising cattle. He always said we were blessed to have wonderful farm tenants who he trusted like family. He loved to bring the family and friends out to the farm for wiener roasts, fishing and swimming.

In 1997, after nearly 30 years living just off the Square in Washington, Karl and Nancy designed and built their dream retirement home in rural Metamora. Karl remained there until April of 2024.

With their three children through college, happily married and well established in their respective careers, Karl and Nancy enjoyed spending time together. They loved seeing all the latest movies and hosting parties for friends. They both loved music and were active first with the Peoria Symphony and then with the creation of the Heartland Festival Orchestra. They enjoyed hosting guest musicians in their home. They also loved to travel. One of their favorite places to visit was the coast of Maine. They also looked forward to annual trips to Gasparilla Island, Florida, where they often shared condo space with their children and three grandchildren. In the evenings, Karl and Nancy often played Scrabble. They kept a running tab of their scores and when Nancy passed way after a very brief battle with ovarian cancer in March of 2014 she was well ahead in Scrabble victories.

Perhaps as a way of working through his grief, Karl kept busy helping his church, Washington Presbyterian, the Washington Rotary and the Washington Historical Society. He was concerned for the legacy of his hometown, Elmwood, and envisioned a community wellness center to support small towns in that area. He joined the Elmwood Community Foundation and used his remarkable people skills to work with the Peoria YMCA and Graham Hospital to make this dream come to life. The facility, already in development, will act as a gathering place desperately needed for medical care, social interaction and recreation as well as drawing more life to the small towns.

One personal project consumed much of his retirement, researching and writing a biography of a man who also came from Elmwood and graduated from Knox College who was instrumental in Europe during WW I and II running banking operations for J.P. Morgan. Nelson Dean Jay is the American hero the world has yet to meet. In the fall of 2023 it was bittersweet as he published “The American Banker in Paris” and was able to attend few book signings despite his advancing dementia. We appreciate several volunteers/friends who came alongside him to help him complete this 20+ year project.

Karl loved popcorn, reading biographies, following the stock market, ice cream and Juicy Fruit gum. He wasn’t a big fan of television, but enjoyed Downton Abby, The Walton’s and American Pickers. He read multiple newspapers daily for hyper-local, regional and national news.

He played center on the high school football team but excelled in ping pong. Not known as an athlete, he dabbled in recreational tennis, badminton and shooting hoops with good friends to keep active. In his later years he enjoyed swimming and walking the track at 5 Points in Washington.

While he never owned a brand-new car, he enjoyed sporty models from a pink convertible in his teens, a yellow Mustang, a red Camaro and finally, his “chick car” a bright yellow BMW convertible he drove in his 70’s and 80’s.

He loved to shop for clothes – and would drive to Iowa for an addition to his wardrobe. As his kids grew up he was very involved in supporting their lives from Indian Guides and Princesses, to choir and band concerts, plays and musicals and a few sporting events. He even chaperoned a high school choir trip to New York City.

Karl is survived by his children and their respective spouses, David (Gail) of Pekin, Andrea (Eric) Johnson of Morton and Amy (Kirk) Steinbruecker of Addison. Also giving thanks for Karl’s amazing life and contributions are his three talented grandchildren, Bennett (Keely) Taylor of Mount Vernon, and Taylor Johnson of Nashville and Haley Johnson of Morton. He rescued a sweet stray black cat he named Wednesday. He was proceeded in death by his parents and his wife Nancy.

Special thanks go out to the amazing caregivers of Snyder Home Care who cared for Karl around the clock for the year before he moved into an assisted living facility. Donations to Snyder Village or to any of the organizations mentioned above in memory of Karl Taylor will be greatly appreciated.

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In an essay about a dear family friend, Wilbert “Mickey” McGuire, Dad wrote these words about his own father’s passing: “In the spring of 1979, when the snow had been gone for several weeks, but when a light sweater felt good, I drove back to Elmwood to see my mother – to talk, to run some errands, to write some checks. When we were done and I had given her a hug, I decided to visit McGuire’s Shoe Store. Mickey was there, but no one else. He greeted me warmly, placing his left hand on my back, looking closely into my eyes. He knew I was still hurting. We had never talked after Dad’s passing; we never talked about religion. I had seen him once or twice at church in his double-breasted suit, but he never talked about God, about an afterlife. If he was religious, he kept it to himself. Out of nowhere, he began, “I went to the cemetery last week. I sat on a tombstone and talked to Harry Taylor. I brought him up to date…” Somehow his remarks made me feel better. I don’t know why. Can’t explain it.” – Karl K. Taylor