Gladys Taylor, 79, of Frankfort, Ind., passed away January 3, 2026 at IU Arnett Hospital in Lafayette. She was born on March 2, 1946 in Middlesboro, Kentucky to Robert and Lilly (Northcutt) Bales. She married Roy Taylor on August 30, 1963 and he preceded her in death on July 25, 2015.
Gladys attended Frankfort High School and later earned her GED. She worked for several years as a hairdresser and a realtor. She enjoyed gardening and decorating. Her favorite holiday was Christmas and she always decorated every room – including multiple trees. Gladys annually hosted Christmas Eve for family, including many non-family members that had no place to celebrate. Her home was the “gathering place” and family was very important to her, especially watching the grandkids grow up.
Gladys was the strong and steady presence in our family – the one we all leaned on, often without realizing it. Her love was not only shown in the warmth of her eyes when she saw you or in the hugs she gave so freely, but in the quiet expectations she held for each of us to work hard and do our best. Roy and Gladys came from very humble beginnings, and through determination, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to family, they built a life that allowed them to give their children and grandchildren everything they never had. Her legacy lives on in the values she instilled and the family she helped shape.
Surviving are her children: Teresa Taylor of Frankfort and Rod (Mandy) Taylor of Waverly, Tennessee, 4 grandchildren: Craig (Jessica) Leach, Crista (Chad) Massey, Brant Taylor, and Alexis Taylor (Ryan), along with 10 great-grandchildren and a great-great-granddaughter due in June. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, siblings: Patton Bales, Barbara Bales, Grover Bales, Mary Denham, and Christeen Taylor.
A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, January 9, 2026 at Archer-Weston Funeral & Cremation Center, 501 East Clinton Street, Frankfort. Friends may visit from 11 a.m. until the time of service at 1 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will follow in Green Lawn Memorial Park, Frankfort. Memorial donations may be made to the Clinton County Cancer Fund, 705 Stoneridge Drive, Frankfort, IN 46041. Please visit archerweston.com, where you may share a message with the family.