Local florists pulled their vans into Bowden Flowers and sprinkled rose petals, gathered from their stores and also donated by other industry businesses, to mark the passing of her funeral procession of Linda Taylor
Florists in Indiana are grieving the loss of Society of American Florists member Linda Taylor, owner of Bowden Flowers, this week. Taylor and her shop manager, Tamara Burton, were on their way home from an event setup on Sept. 28 when a car hit their vehicle from behind. Burton sustained injuries but survived.
Michelle Herr of Banner Flower House in Kokomo has known Taylor as a floral industry colleague for more than two decades and helped organize a salute to her on Oct. 5: Local florists pulled their vans into the parking lot of Bowden Flowers and sprinkled rose petals, gathered from their stores and also donated by other industry businesses, to mark the passing of her funeral procession.
Florists in Indiana are grieving the loss of Society of American Florists member Linda Taylor, owner of Bowden Flowers, this week. She died Sept. 28.
“We bought our business 25 years ago and Linda was in the industry for more than 30 years, so we knew each other as colleagues and worked together in our allied association group,” Herr said, noting the two shops are no more than 10 miles apart. “With the rose petals and procession — we just wanted to do something to honor all of her years of business, and what she gave to the floral industry.”
Taylor was a 1974 graduate of Northwestern High School and co-owned her business with her husband, Dick. She was an active member of First Church of the Nazarene, where she taught Sunday school, and a key member of Kokomo Business Network. According to her obituary, she was devoted to reading her Bible, enjoyed traveling and spending time with her grandchildren. She loved Christmas, and never missed a Hallmark Christmas movie.”
Taylor is survived by her husband and children, Rich Taylor, Chris (Kristen) Taylor, and Blake (Jessica) Taylor; grandchildren, Cooper, Natalie, and Elise; mother, Geraldine Canady; brothers, James Canady (Candace), Jerry (Rhonda) Canady, Gary (Linda) Canady, Jeff (Jennifer) Canady, and Pat (Judy) Canady; father and mother-in-law, Lewis (Mary Frances) Taylor; brother-in-law, Bill (Pam) Taylor; sister-in-law, Karen (Don) Sword; as well as Margarita Santacruz, an exchange student who Taylor considered a daughter and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her father, James R. Canady.
Funeral services were held October 5 at First Church of the Nazarene in Kokomo.
Read more about her life.
Mary Westbrook is the editor in chief of Floral Management