Billie Ruth Taylor

Billie Ruth Taylor, a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 7, 2026, at Twin County Regional Hospital while in Hospice Care. She was born August 13, 1937 in Grayson County, Virginia to Bayard Early Anders and Emma Caudill Anders.

She is survived by her daughter, Sonia Taylor Truitt; her sons and their wives, Charles M. and Lisa Delp, and John M. and Julia Taylor; eight grandchildren, Leah Truitt and Dan Yu, Taylor Truitt Larrowe and Alex, Chantel and Michael Bedsaul, Cody and Emily Fulton, Holden Delp, Bailey Delp, Justin and Danielle Taylor, and Jansen Taylor; and eight great-grandchildren, Oliver and Theodore Larrowe, Emma Yu-Truitt, Lucas and Blake Isom, Lydia and Walter Fulton, and Bobby Lee Taylor. She is also survived by her very special friend, Ann Beamer, who was a wonderful source of support, a confidant, and a treasure to Billie over the years.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husbands, Charles Melville Delp and Bobby Lee Taylor; her son-in-law, Tony Lee Truitt; her siblings, James Mack Anders and Audrey Anders Kinser; and her great-granddaughter, Nora Elizabeth Fulton.

Billie Ruth was a steadfast presence in her church, her community, and the lives of all who knew her best. Faith and church were the foundation of her life. She was a deeply active, lifelong member of Baywood Wesleyan Church, where she could be found nearly every Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday evening. She taught Sunday School and served on the church board for many years.

Billie Ruth will be remembered as a woman who worked hard and lived life well. She spent years greeting friends and neighbors while working at Guynn Hardware and Furniture in Hillsville, retiring at age 80. Earlier in her career, she worked for many years at Vass Kapp Hardware. She also worked briefly at First National Bank,a role that ended prematurely in the 1970s when her independent, slightly rebellious spirit led her to wear a dressy pantsuit to work in a world where women were expected to wear dresses only, a story that perfectly captured her bold character. While her own children were in school, she shared her warmth and patience with other young children as a kindergarten teacher's aide at Baywood Elementary School.

She also took her civic duties to heart, serving for many years as chair of the Grayson County Electoral Board, regularly working local elections, and supporting the VFW Ladies Auxiliary.

To her family, Billie Ruth was a joyful and constant presence, and she loved her family deeply. She also loved to sing. As a young woman, she, her sister Audrey, and a few other friends formed a small quartet and traveled to churches around the area to sing gospel music together. If you walked into her house, you'd almost always find her singing or humming along to good old-fashioned gospel music, sometimes to the good-natured dismay of any teenagers hoping to sleep in on a Saturday morning. She sang in her church and church choir throughout her life and found great joy in it.

She loved having tea parties and cooking with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and she was always happy to make a big pot of her famous potato soup for the family on cold winter days. Her special scalloped potatoes and baked beans were a fixture at family gatherings, and she cherished any opportunity to host her family in her home.

Billie Ruth leaves behind a legacy that cannot be measured simply by the years she lived or the things she accomplished. It lives in the faith she shared, the family she loved, the children she taught, the community she served, the meals she prepared, the stories she told, and the songs she sang. Her family will miss her laughter, her strong spirit, her loving presence, and most of all the sound of her singing.

Friends are invited to a viewing on Monday, August 10 from 4-6 p.m. at Baywood Wesleyan Church, with the funeral service to follow. Family and friends will gather at the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Dublin on Tuesday, August 11 at 1 p.m. for the burial.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Baywood Wesleyan Church or the Baywood Rescue Squad