Sara Downing Taylor, 87, died Sunday, June 24, 2018, in Nazareth Home, Louisville, KY, of complications of dementia.

Born in Glasgow, KY, October 17, 1930, Sara was the youngest of seven children of A.C. and Katie Burton Downing. From her early years in Horse Cave, KY, through her high school years, in Dunbar, WV, and beyond, Sara was shaped by her love of family. Sara followed her brothers to Western Kentucky State College, now WKU, where she met Arnold G. Taylor. They married in 1954 and shared 59 years together until Arnold's death in 2013. Together they built a strong house, a mutually supportive marriage, and a loving family life.

Earning an Ed. S. degree from Peabody College, Sara served on the WKU faculty in early childhood education, shaping a generation of kindergarten educators. She was a tireless advocate for play as the natural and effective mode of learning for very young children, and insisted on respect and equality for all children, regardless of gender, race or circumstance. She served as president of the Kentucky Association of Children Under Six and won several teaching awards, one as recently as 2015, many years after her retirement.

She loved teaching at Western with her brother George in the math department at the top of the Hill and her brother Dero in the President's office during the 1970s. She valued her colleagues, students, and neighbors. Able to find beauty in the smallest things, Sara delighted in home grown tomatoes, lovely yarn with which to knit, and an evening with Arnold on the porch, and she was grateful beyond words for her late-in-life grandchildren.

At about age 70, Sara began to show symptoms of dementia. Although dementia claimed progressively more of her mind over her last 17 years, it could not claim her kind, grateful spirit and warm smile. She remained a blessing to those around her until the day of her death.

Sara is survived by her son, Gregory D. Taylor (Laura); daughter, Susan K. Taylor (Andy Loving); five grandchildren, Jeremiah, Ingrid and Max Taylor, Sara and Walker Loving; one great grandchild, Bentley Shobe; her sister-in-law, Harriet Downing, several generations of nieces and nephews. Her family expresses their gratitude to the people of Nazareth Home in Louisville, KY, and Massey Springs Senior Living, in Bowling Green, KY, for their loving care and compassion.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the Aldridge and Burton Goodman Downing Scholarship Fund, College Heights Foundation, Western Kentucky University, 1906 College Heights Blvd., Bowling Green, KY 42101-9977.

Visitation is from 1:00 pm until 3:00 pm Sunday, July 1 ^st at Johnson Vaughn Phelps Funeral Home. Mrs. Taylor's memorial service will be at 3:00 pm at the funeral home, and her ashes will be interred at Fairview Cemetery later.