Cecil Owen

Taylor

Cecil Owen Taylor, 86, of Des Arc, Arkansas, was born March 12, 1940, in McClelland, Arkansas, on

section 10, to Lester and Mavis (Lundy) Taylor and passed away November 12, 2026.

Cecil married the love of his life, Ruby Jenkins, on August 9, 1957. Together, they shared 64 years of

marriage and created a home where everyone felt welcome the moment they walked through the door.

Their home was a place filled with love, family, and hospitality at its very best.

After graduating from high school, Cecil enlisted in the United States Navy. Following his military

service, he returned home and began farming alongside his father, Lester. In 1973, Cecil stepped away

from farming to pursue what he had always dreamed of doing---flying. He became a crop duster, and

spent the remainder of his working years doing what he loved until his retirement.

Cecil was a man who could seemingly fix or build just about anything. He enjoyed woodworking and, in

his later years, took great pride in handcrafting duck calls known as River Bend Elite. Each one was

made with the same attention to detail that he put into everything he did.

In the eyes of his grandchildren, there simply wasn’t anything Pawpaw Cecil couldn’t fix or build. From

somehow fixing a broken crayon to helping with school projects, working on vehicles, or flying an

airplane, he could do it all. He even had a special way of making the farmers whose fields he flew feel as

though they were his very own.

Cecil had a special touch. Everything he worked on was done with love, compassion, and a commitment

to perfection. But his greatest work was never something he fixed or made from wood. It was the

family he helped build, the home he and Ruby created, the memories he left with his children and

grandchildren, and the love he gave so freely.

To his family, he was much more than a husband, father, or Pawpaw Cecil. He was the one they could

always count on, the one who could fix almost anything, the one who made things better simply by

being there. He will be remembered for his many talents, his dedication to doing everything with care

and perfection, his generous heart, and most of all the unconditional love he had for his family.

Cecil is survived by his two sons, Steven (Jo Anne) Taylor and Bryan (Keena) Taylor; one daughter,

Debbie (Ray) Stidham; One Son-in-law Eddie Richards; 11 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and

one great- great-grandchild. He is also survived by four sister: LaVona Vesley, Jo Ann Walloch, Sue Kirby,

and Cathy Garth.

Cecil was preceded in death by his parents, Lester and Mavis Taylor; his stepmother, Reba Taylor; his

beloved wife of 64 years, Ruby Taylor; his son, Ricky Taylor; his Daughter Melinda Richards; one

granddaughter, Wendy Michelle Taylor and two sisters Shirley Taylor Smith and Catherine Taylor.

Though Cecil may no longer be here to fix what is broken or build what is needed, the love, lessons and

memories he leaves behind will live on in the hearts of those who loved him. His hands may have

rested, but the legacy that Cecil and Ruby Taylor built will last for generations.