Mattie Lee Swain Taylor, age 92, of Alabaster, Alabama, transitioned at Baptist Health Shelby Hospital on April 13, 2025, surrounded by her loving family.

Born on October 22, 1932, in Longview, Alabama, Pastor Taylor was the fifth of nine children, born to the late Fletcher and Mattie Lee Hicks Swain. She attended Prentice High School Montevallo, Alabama, and went on to earn her LPN Certification From N. F. Nunnelley State Technical College in 1968. In the mid sixties she was called into the ministries, after a long battle with the denomination that she was a member of, she was ordained into the Methodist denomination at Galilee in Saginaw, Alabama, where she served until she decided to form her own ministry in her home. Later after much sacrifice she built her own church building and named it Grace Baptist Church, where she served the people with food, clothing, etc,. on an ongoing basis. She was ordained in 1984, into the Baptist denomination by Pastor Verdell Stanley, after he received the direction from God to do so.

Pastor Taylor has dedicated her life to caring for others first taking care of her younger siblings, caring for her own family, becoming a midwife where she had to be ready to go at all hours day or night. She delivered hundreds of babies of all races in the Shelby County area. She worked as a Nurses' Assistant then as a Licensed Practical nurse at Shelby Memorial Hospital. When she left the hospital she began to work as a Charge Nurse at Briarcliff Nursing Home. At the end of her nursing career she did private duty nursing to make money to help build her church building. She served as a full time Pastor of Grace Full Gospel Church until 2005, when the property was sold. She started a weekly telephone prayer and teaching ministry, which is ongoing. Her hobbies were crocheting, cooking and pottery making.

Pastor Taylor was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. She had an unwavering faith in God and her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and was a member of Voice of Faith International Ministries in Helena, Alabama, where Pastors Frank and Erma Kirksey were her pastors.

She was known for her warm heart, quick wit, and famous homemade sweet potato pies.

Pastor Taylor enjoyed gardening, reading inspirational books, and spending time with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren who loved her dearly.

She is survived by her three children: Nellie (Gary) Nelson, Cliff (Kristan Mckinney) Taylor III, and Tammy (Joe) Williams, two daughters preceded her in death Sheron Diann Taylor and Veronica (Arthur) Swift; Eleven grand children, Cynthia, Carlos Jr., Jonathan, Darek, Corey, Cliff IV, Benjamin, Rebbie, Jeremy. Two grands Madilyn and Juan preceded her in death.Bonus grandchild Phyllis Coleman. There's twenty eight great-grandchildren and 13 great great-grandchildren.

Pastor Taylor was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 68 years, Pastor Cliff Taylor Jr.; her parents; and five siblings: Nathaniel, Charlie, James, Elizabeth and Alberta. Remaining siblings are Frances Marbury, Samuel Swain, George (Cherry) Washington. She has three sisters-in-law, Annie Schooler, Cora (Rosevelt) McMullin, Mayo Taylor and one brother-in-law Joe (Pat) Taylor. She also leaves a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and cherished friends.