Joe Franklin Taylor 
June 26, 1942–January 2, 2024

A Celebration of Life Service for Joe Taylor will be Jan 6, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at First Methodist Church in Coushatta.  Visitation will be from 12:30 until service time.  

A wonderful life came to a close on January 2, 2024.  Joe F. Taylor entered his heavenly rest at 81 years of age.  A lifelong resident of Coushatta, LA, Joe loved the little town and supported it in any way he could.  Over the years, he served in leadership positions in the town’s various civic clubs.  He was president of the Jaycees, the Chamber of Commerce, the Lions Club, and the Quarterback Club.  He also was on several public bodies, including the Red River Parish Port Commission, the 9-1-1 Board, and the town Economic Board.  To most of the town, he was known as the unofficial town historian.  

His family’s relationship with Coushatta began when his grandparents closed their traveling medicine show and settled down in Coushatta in 1929.  They chose Coushatta as their permanent home “because it seemed to be a thriving place to do business with a promising future.”  The population of the parish in 1930 was double what it is today.  Coushatta was indeed thriving.  

Entrepreneurship was strong in the Taylor family as they owned and operated many Coushatta businesses through the years.  Some included a movie theatre, a mercantile store, cafes, a skating rink, and a flower shop.  

Joe was justifiably proud to be the first in his family to receive a college degree but was even prouder to see his children and each of his grandchildren receive their degrees. 

He never forgot the opportunity afforded him by Northwestern State and stayed in touch with the college his whole life.  He cheered his beloved Demons with season football and basketball tickets.  He served on their foundation board and received the school’s honorary “Nth” degree.  

He married his childhood sweetheart, Susan Strother, after a five-year courtship that blossomed into 58 years of a happy family.  This union produced two exceptional children, four “above average” grandchildren, one especially sweet great-granddaughter, two rambunctious great-grandsons, and one baby boy on the way.  He never said no to his great-grandchildren and spent many hours entertaining them.  

He worked for thirty years at the Sunbeam Appliance Company plant in Coushatta. Most of that time was spent as the Plant Manager/CEO of the six-hundred-employee business.  

He was a lifelong member of the First Methodist Church and served in a number of roles, including chairman of the administrative board. He was a member of the adult Sunday School class and faithfully served as usher.  

Joe was passionate about the New Orleans Saints.  He followed the team from their inception, yelling for them in their many lean years and championship years.  His ever-present support created a family of Saints fans.  Many Sundays of family fun revolved around game time.  

People often talk about traveling in their retirement years.  Susan and Joe actually did it. They visited forty-nine states (sorry, Hawaii, just too much of a plane ride) and twenty-five countries.  Some of his most incredible memories were traveling the world and studying history with his best friends.  Whether camping, traveling in coach, or living it up first class, Joe never met a stranger that he could not win over, and he never missed an opportunity to study the world and the people in it.  

He was preceded in death by his beloved grandmother, Homer Lee Taylor; parents, Gracie and Russell Taylor; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Rusha and Pat Strother; brother, Walter Taylor; sisters-in-law, Laurine Adcock and Patti Strother; brothers-in-law, Tom Adcock and Don Lester.

He is survived by his wife, Susan Taylor; daughters, Kelley Lee (Ginger) and Karen Squires; sister, Judy Braswell (Larry); sister-in-law, Norma Lester; grandchildren, Taylor Lee (Lori), Kaitlyn Beard (David), Ethan Squires (Tori), Tanner Lee (Shelby); great-grandchildren Mabrey Marie Beard, Haygen Michael Beard, and Kameron Taylor Lee; and a host of nieces and nephews.  

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Methodist Church of Coushatta, Demons Unlimited Scholarship Fund, or The Ginger Craig Softball Scholarship Fund.