Monday, October 2, 2017 6:45 pm

Merle Culpepper Taylor, age 93, passed away September 30, 2017. Born on February 25, 1924 in Nash County, she was the eldest of eleven children of the late Harvey and Etta Hackney Culpepper and Mable Parker Culpepper.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by sons, Robert Powell and Larry Powell; brothers, Jackson, Harvey, Jr. and Vernon Culpepper; sister, Lula Thomas; husbands Harvey Taylor, Bill Anderson, and father of her children Alton Powell.

She is survived by her daughters, Etta Woodall (Buddy) of Charlotte and Gale Matthews (Ronnie) of Nashville; sons, Joe Powell (Brenda) and Ed Powell (Robin) of Rocky Mount; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; sisters, Amie Hunt of Raleigh, Sheila Burnett of Spartanburg, SC and Jeanette Culpepper of Rocky Mount; brothers, Milton Culpepper (Lucy) of Rocky Mount, Billy Culpepper of Savannah, GA, and Dennis Culpepper (Brenda) of Rocky Mount; sister-in-law, Alva Culpepper of Raleigh and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition, she is also survived by family members of Harvey Taylor and Bill Anderson; Linda Melton (Joe), Dianne Lewis (Henry), Sylvia Luper (Tim), Joan Taylor, Gwen Walters (Jerry), Aubrey Anderson; their children and grandchildren.

In addition to flowers, memorials may be made to My Sister's House, PO Box 7665, Rocky Mount, NC 27804 or St. Paul United Methodist Church, 1217 Bethlehem Rd, Rocky Mount, NC 27803

Visitation will be held on Thursday, October 5, 2017 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at St. Paul United Methodist Church, Rocky Mount. A Homegoing Celebration service will begin at 2 p.m. Burial will follow at Rocky Mount Memorial Park.

Arrangements by Johnson Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Rocky Mount.