Carol Corder Taylor, 78, of Conway, Arkansas, passed away Thursday, October 22, 2026, at Baptist Medical Center–Conway. She was born March 4, 1948, in Covina, California, to Willis and Geneva Bragg Rains.
Carol was saved at the age of 10 at a small church on Crow Mountain. She was a member of Hector Assembly of God and often professed her love for Jesus as her Lord and Savior. Her Christian faith remained an important part of her life.
On February 1, 1992, Carol married Larry A. Taylor in Las Vegas, Nevada. Together, they shared a wonderful life filled with adventure, travel, and a love for the outdoors.
Carol enjoyed a rewarding career in Human Resources at Arkansas Nuclear One, where she was involved in recruiting for Entergy. Following her retirement, she embraced a rather unusual new adventure—raising ostriches. Whether working in the nuclear industry or tending to an ostrich farm, Carol approached life with enthusiasm, curiosity, and a willingness to try something new.
Carol and Larry shared a passion for traveling across the country in their fifth-wheel camper, exploring beautiful destinations such as Yellowstone and Yosemite National Parks. They also enjoyed attending bluegrass festivals and antique tractor shows, as well as spending time trout fishing on the White River. Carol especially treasured the experiences and memories they made together along the way.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Nancy Cochran and Bobbie Burris; and a brother, Bill Rains.
Carol is survived by her loving husband, Larry Taylor of Conway; her daughter, Pamela Jean-Gasaway and husband Mark of Conway; two grandchildren, Joshua Gasaway and wife Kari of Conway, and Taylor Gasaway and wife Sarah of Conway; her sister, Cynthia Bonner and husband Roy of Temecula, California; three nieces, Becky Gray and husband Terry of Russellville, Debbie Keeling of Russellville, and Barb Swaffar and husband Jerry of Russellville; a nephew, Danny Rains of Florida; a great niece Ashley McCoy and husband Chuck of Russellville, two great, great-nieces, Ava Kate McCoy and Claire McCoy; a great-nephew, Justin Swaffar and wife Brandi of Stillwater, Oklahoma; her sister-in-law, Sharon Taylor of Gun Barrel City, Texas; and her brother-in-law, Melvin Burris of Gum Log, and a host of other family and friends.
A graveside memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at Center Valley Memorial Gardens, with Rev. Dean Caldwell and Mark Gasaway officiating. A private committal service will be held at the new Chapel of Light at the J. Herman Humphrey Dignity Cremation Center. Arrangements are under the direction of Humphrey Funeral Service.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or Shriners Children’s.
