Edythe Darden West, 90, passed away on February 19, 2014, at Wake Medical Center in Raleigh. She was the daughter of James Harley Taylor, a school principal in Durham, Chatham, Harnett, Cumberland and Sampson counties (first Principal at 71st High School in 1929), and Jesse Esther Avent Taylor, a nurse and veteran of World War I in France.
Mrs. West was preceded in death by her first husband, James B. (Dick) Darden Jr., of Clinton. They had four children Denise Taylor Darden (and husband Dr. Grady Morgan) of Wilmington; William Ronald (Ron) Darden (and wife Terry Childress Darden) of Fayetteville; Steven Blaine Darden (and wife Ina Elfring Darden) of Chapel Hill and James Bizzell (Jim) Darden III (and wife Mary Nell Watkins Darden) of Clinton. She is survived by grandchildren, Dr. Nicholas Morgan (Dr. Jenn Broome) and Scott Morgan, Esq. (Katie Youngblood) , Sydney Elizabeth Darden and Leslie Page Darden, Dr. Michael Evan Darden, Jesse Steven Darden, and Lucas Henry Darden, James B. (Jay) Darden IV (Paula Gay Eure) and Jeffery Franklin Darden (Katherine Goforth) and seven great- grand children.
Mrs. West was also preceded in death by her second husband, Ernest Warren West. The couple lived on the Taylor farm near Linden until Mr. West's death in 2004. Mrs. West lived until her death at the Brookfield (now Green Leaf) Assisted Living Home in Lillington. She is survived by two step daughters, Karen Garceau (Joe) of Garner and Janet Harris (Carl) of Zebulon and step grandchildren.
Mrs. West was also preceded in death by her four siblings, James H. Taylor Jr. of Fayetteville, William Seymour Taylor of Smithfield, twin brother Kenneth McNeil Taylor of Smithfield and Jane Taylor Olive of Winston Salem. These siblings provided Mrs. West with twelve beloved nieces and nephews.
Mrs. West's grandfather Adolphus Taylor was an educator in Wilkes County, where he helped establish Appalachian State Teacher's College as a member of the Charter Board of Trustees. Mrs. West graduated from Appalachian and became a teacher in Harnett, Cumberland and Sampson Counties. She was girl's basketball coach at Clinton High School. Mrs. West was a long time active member of Parker's Grove Methodist Church which was founded by her great-great uncle, Rev. Isaac Avent in 1856.
There will be a visitation with the family at Parker's Grove United Methodist Church in Linden on Saturday, February 22, at 1:00, followed by a funeral service at the church at 2:00. Interment will follow at the Antioch Baptist Church cemetery in Mamers.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Parker's Grove United Methodist Church, 610 Denim Dr., Erwin, NC 28339.
There will be a visitation with the family at Parkerâ