Funeral services for Mr. Taylor Ross, age 68, of Carthage, TX, will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 8, 2010, at Central Baptist Church in Carthage with Dr. William Everett and Rev. Stephen Jackson officiating. Interment will follow in Fenton Cemetery in Nacogdoches County, TX. The family will receive friends from 2-5 p.m. on Sunday at the funeral home. After a courageous battle with leukemia, Taylor passed away on Friday night, Feb. 5, 2010, at the University of Texas/M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He was surrounded by his family and friends.

Taylor Ross was born on Oct. 20, 1941, in Center, TX to Fisher O'Brien and Clyda Mae Taylor Ross. He graduated from Center High School with the class of 1960, and attended Panola College. Taylor served his country in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and was honorably discharged. He married Janette Twink Sitton on Nov. 28, 1974, in Center. Taylor worked for AT&T as a systems technician for over 40 years, retiring in 2009. He loved music, travel, photography, his church, and his family, especially his grandchildren. In 1984, he moved to Carthage from Longview and was an active and faithful member of Central Baptist Church in Carthage where he served as a deacon and was a member of the Co-Ed Sunday School Class. Taylor was a loving and caring son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He was preceded in death by his father and one brother, Fisher Ross.

Taylor is survived by his wife, Twink Sitton Ross of Carthage; his mother, Ned Ross of Jacksonville; one daughter, Susannah Caroline Ross Romero and husband Joseph Waymon of Carthage; two grandchildren, Joseph Taylor Romero and Madison Caroline Romero both of Carthage; one brother, James Thomas Ross of Dallas; one sister, Cynthia Ross Vermie and husband John of Dallas; four nieces; and one great-niece. Numerous other relatives and many friends also survive Taylor.

Serving as pallbearers are Wade Arnold Fox, Vance E. Hancock, Jerry Tilton Hanszen, Dr. J. David Holcomb, C.G. Javellana, Robert Dawson Sitton, and John Randall Taylor.

Serving as honorary pallbearers are Jason Ashford Holcomb, Trace David Holcomb, Keri Lane McKinney, Joseph Taylor Romero, Joseph Waymon Romero, Madison Caroline Romero, James Thomas Ross, Kelly Taylor Simmons, Joseph Henry Sitton, John Brandon Taylor, John Justin Taylor, and the Deacons of Central Baptist Church.

If desired, memorials may be made to the Central Baptist Church Missions, 220 W. Sabine, Carthage, TX 75633 or the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Donor Services, P.O. Box 4072, Pittsfield, MA 01202.

A guestbook may be signed online at www.jimerson-lipsey.com.