Curtis Benjamin Taylor, Sr.

Obituary For Curtis Benjamin Taylor, Sr.

Curtis Benjamin Taylor, Sr., 69, of Haymarket, VA went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, December 6, 2020.

Due to COVID-19 and state government restrictions, the following services are PRIVATE.

Visitation Tuesday, December 22, 2020 11:00 a.m. Antioch Baptist Church, 6531 Ox Road, Fairfax Station, VA 22039

The Funeral Service will be held following the visitation.

The Interment will be at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery.

Curtis Taylor Obituary It was five years into the Baby Boomer generation, in a new decade filled with hope and promise. America was 6 years post World War II, but in the middle of the Korean War. Brown vs the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas was presented to the US Supreme Court, I Love Lucy premiered on CBS television. Harry Truman was president and just 3 years earlier, had established an order to integrate the Armed Forces. This was the year that a gifted, smart and handsome baby boy, Curtis Benjamin Taylor, Sr. entered this world on May 30, 1951.

Curtis was the third child born to Nathaniel and Esther Evans Taylor in Kingstree, South Carolina. At a young age he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior at Mount Zion United Methodist Church. Growing up in a household with talented parents and siblings, where music lessons were taught by his father to as many as 15 students, Curtis developed a passion for music. His mother was a lyric soprano. His father was a band director and history teacher at the local high school. His father also played several musical instruments. Until their deaths, his parents actively provided music in their church and community.

In high school, at the age of sixteen, Curtis entered a music competition in which he arranged the score from the very popular Broadway musical which subsequently became a major motion film, The Sound of Music. He won the competition and many of his friends and family still enjoy this arrangement to this day. Curtis showed early on in his life that he was on the road to greatness. At Tomilson High School, he was voted by his peers to be The Most Popular, Best All Around, and Most Congenial.

In the fall of 1968, Curtis was accepted to South Carolina State University received and was the recipient of band scholarship. At South Carolina State University, Curtis excelled academically as well as pursued his love of music. Joining the famed marching band, known as the Marching 101, where he played trumpet, allowed him opportunities to perfect his craft and make life-long friends. Highlights of playing in the Marching 101 was the band’s 1969 performance in the Rose Bowl Parade. In the band, he also served as a student director to arrange a composition that was played by the band at football games. While in college, he also played in a local band with other student musicians, The Soul Agents. This local band was selected to be one James Brown’s touring bands.

While at South Carolina State University, Curtis was active in many extra-curricular activities to include the following: member of Xi Psi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Student President of the South Carolina Music Educators Association, Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Association, South Carolina State College Jazz Ensemble, Advanced Course Club, ROTC, Business and Manager and pianist for Dynamic Soul Agents Band and Show, and student musical director to the world renowned, Henderson- Davis Players. A highlight of his role as the Henderson-Davis Players’ student Musical Director was his participation in the1972, 35-day, USO tour to Greenland and the Northeast with members of the Henderson-Davis Players performing in a musical variety show designed to entertain US troops.

While at South Carolina State University, Curtis completed 4 years in Army ROTC, subsequently, receiving his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army.

Upon graduation from South Carolina State University, Curtis was granted delayed entry into the military to pursue his music scholarship at Cornell University.

Preparing for his audition to be accepted to Cornell University’s Master’s program in music, Curtis’ mentor, Mr. Eugene Pinson, suggested that because of his musical dexterity, he should do a complex piece. Thus, it was chosen that Curtis would do Franz Liszt masterful composition, Les Funerailles, S, 173, No.7, a composition that is over 30 pages. Curtis impressed the Cornell professors by having memorized the entire score, playing every note without looking at a of sheet music. After two vigorous years of academia in music, Curtis received a Masters’ Degree in Music Theory and Composition, thus becoming the first African- American to complete his Masters’ Degree in Music at Cornell University.

Upon completion of his Masters’ Degree, Curtis began his 26 years of a distinguished military service. Highlights of his many assignments include the following: Commander, US Army Enlisted Records and Evaluation Center-Baltimore, MD, Director, Military Equal Opportunity Policy, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Equal Opportunity; Chief, Force XXI Task Force at the Army Personnel Command in Alexandria, VA, Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff, Army, and Executive Officer to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Personnel Support, Families and Education. In addition, Curtis taught Military History and Leadership Development, while serving as Assistant Professor of Military Science at his alma mater, South Carolina State University. In this assignment, Curtis was awarded the 1982 Teacher of the Year Award for the School of Arts and Sciences. During this assignment, as an Assistant Professor of Military Science, Curtis got the opportunity to reunite with the Henderson -Davis Players to create and musically direct Cotton Club Review, which featured the music of jazz greats such as, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Ed Kirkeby, Jimmy McHugh, and Richard Maltby.

Curtis’ overseas assignments include: War Planner, and Operations Officer for 1st Personnel Command in Heidelberg, Germany, and Commander of the 2nd Adjutant General Company, 2nd Infantry Division, Korea. While in Heidelberg, Curtis worked with the Army community of talented soldiers and civilians to re-create the magic of Cotton Club Review. It was a huge success and well received by the American and German communities.

Curtis is a graduate of the Adjutant General Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Combined Arms Services and Staff College, the Army’s Command and General Staff College and the National War College. Curtis was awarded he Master of Science Degree in National Security Strategy upon graduation from the War College. On May 10,1996, Curtis was inducted into ROTC Hall of Fame at South Carolina State University.

On September 20, 2020, Curtis was presented the Director of Music and Worship Emeritus Award at Antioch Baptist Church. Curtis has served as director of Music and worship at Antioch for 30 years. Additionally, he served as director of the Gospel Choir, Men of Praise Choir and the Mass Choir. He also enthusiastically participated in numerous church concerts at as well as special programs to include Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, African American History and Easter programs. In 2000, Under the auspices of Antioch Baptist Church and the Southern Baptist Association, Curtis led and directed a Christian Missionary trip throughout Austria with several talented choir members representing all of Antioch’s choirs.

In September 2016, Curtis, along with his two sons, Curtis Jr., Richard and a close friend of the family, Jared Harrell, started TIS 3 Solutions, an IT services company.

On January 1,1970, Curtis attended a wedding in Winnsboro, SC, home of Abigail Taylor. It was at this event that Curtis met the love of his life, Abigail Brown Taylor. They were wed June 30, 1973. Thus, began their odyssey of love that lasted over 50 years.

Curtis is preceded in death by his parents, Nathaniel and Esther Taylor, his sister, Gloria Taylor, and his brother, Nathaniel Taylor, Jr. Curtis is survived by his loving wife, Abigail Brown Taylor, three devoted sons; Curtis Taylor, Jr. Steven Taylor, one daughter -in law, Frances Brown Taylor, Richard Taylor, 7 grandchildren; Alexis Taylor, Carson Bandy Taylor, Curtis Taylor III, Carter Taylor, Nyla Taylor, Steven Franklin Curtis Taylor, and Fadya Kumbuka, one brother, Errol Taylor,one sister-in-law, Richardene Brewer (David Brewer), one aunt Majordell Coleman, several nieces and nephews, Vanessa Faye Taylor, Errol Taylor Jr, Richardo Lendhardt, Deborah Anne Greene, Michelle Jackson , Mamie Dunn, (Damon),David Lendhart (Selena), Allan Williams (Carol), Tommy Williams(Heather), Robyn Green (Toriano), Stacey Brewer and a host of cousins, and dear friends.

I