Rosa L. Early

Rosa Lee Taylor Early was born October 23, 1923, in Woodington, Lenoir County, North Carolina.  She was the third out of seven children born to the late Herman and Bessie Taylor.  She was educated in the Woodington School System which offered schooling only to the 7th or 8th grade. Her spiritual life began at Rouse’s Chapel Church of Christ Disciples of Christ in Kinston, North Carolina where she was baptized at an early age.

The word around town was that Rosa did not believe in working in the field and did less field work than any of her siblings.  Rosa would always find a way to get out of working in the field.  She worked in the house alongside her mother, cooking and cleaning.  When her parents purchased a grocery store in Kinston, around 1947, she moved to the city to operate the store for a couple of years.  Rosa took other jobs to make ends meet while living with her sister Mamie.

Prior to integration, when blacks couldn’t drink water from the same water fountain as whites, Rosa made local history, becoming one of the first blacks to work in downtown Kinston.  She worked at Foxman’s Jewelry on Queen Street which, at the time, was the top jewelry store in Kinston. She worked there for over 18 years. 

Rosa relocated to Linden, New Jersey in 1965 and joined Emmanuel Church of Christ Disciples of Christ in Newark, New Jersey under the leadership of Bishop Harold N. Foy.  She was a member of the Floral Club and Pastor’s Aide Committee and loved attending Bible Study.  She worked several jobs until retirement in 1985.  Rosa married the love of her life, Willie Early, in 1992.

She loved spending time with her family and friends.  Rosa’s backyard was the longtime headquarters for the Taylor’s Annual 4th of July Cookout, an event that created a lifetime of memories for a host of family and friends who stopped by.  Rosa was known for her “Punch Bowl Cake” and “Cranberry Mold”.  She was also responsible for manning the sweet potato pie station for the Annual Taylor Scholarship Breakfast.

In 2004, when she could no longer live alone, Rosa moved to Easton, Pennsylvania to live with her son Adolph and his wife Estelle.  She joined the Greater Shiloh Church family under the leadership of Pastor Phil Davis.  She was a Mother in the church and attended services regularly until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rosa Lee was preceded in death by her husband, Willie Early, five of her siblings, Mamie Taylor, Joshua Taylor, Herman Taylor, Jr., Robert G. Taylor, and Virginia Taylor, and her great grandson, Rahson A. Taylor. She leaves to cherish her memories: a son, Adolph Taylor (Estelle), devoted caretakers, one sister, Mary Alice Smith, two brothers William Lee Sutton (Emma Doris) and Alton Sutton (Jean), five grandchildren: Thaddeuse Taylor (Sharon), Ferdinanda Taylor (Thomasena), Yolanda D. Koon (Gordon), Carlos D. Taylor (Lisa), and Haqquisha Q. Taylor.  Rosa also leaves to cherish her memory fourteen great grandchildren, four great-great grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Funeral Services will take place on Saturday March 12, 2022 at 11AM in the Main Sanctuary of Greater Shiloh Church 403 Pastor Fred Davis Street, Easton.  Viewing begins at 10AM.  Interment will follow services in Northampton Memorial Shrine.

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