Jewel Ann Taylor Gupton, 80, of Campbellsville, KY, daughter of the late John Thomas Taylor and Essie Benningfield Taylor, was born in Marion County, KY on October 23, 1941. She departed this life at 6:01 P.M. on Tuesday, August 9, 2022, surrounded by her family at Baptist Health Hardin in Elizabethtown.

She had professed faith in Christ as her Savior at an early age and was raised in the Muldraugh Hill Baptist Church in Marion County.  She later joined the Lowell Avenue Baptist Church in Campbellsville where she was a member until her death and was very active in many ministries of the church. One of her greatest joys for over 40 years was singing in the choir. As a long-time member of Lowell Avenue, she was one of the writers of the history of the church for its’ 35th year anniversary in 1990.

She united in marriage to Marion Thomas (Tom) Gupton on January 19, 1957.  To this union were born one son and one daughter, Brent Thomas Gupton and Lisa Taylor Gupton.. With her husband, Tom, who for many years was active in the work of the Gideons International and as a deacon at Lowell Avenue, Jewel was also active as a deacon’s wife and in the Gideons Ladies Auxiliary.

As a young teenager in the early 1950’s, she was involved in country music with her brother as a singer and guitarist in his band and played many popular music venues in central KY.  Her love for music and contacts in the music industry led to a contract with Tree Publishing Co. in Nashville, TN for several years as a songwriter.  Although never formally trained in music, she had a great ear for it, enabling her to play piano by ear.

Jewel was a loving mother and housewife and worked alongside her husband as the bookkeeper and secretary for his auto repair and golf cart business. She worked for about 5-6 years as a receptionist and clerk in the radiology department of Taylor County Hospital, a job she thoroughly enjoyed, until no longer able due to health issues.

SURVIVORS: 

Her husband of 65 & a half years: Marion Thomas (Tom) Gupton

1 son: Rev. Brent Gupton and wife Davina & her daughter, Lisa Taylor Gupton, all of Campbellsville

2 grandsons: Lee Thomas Gupton & wife Laura of Cincinnati, OH and Joseph Marion Gupton & wife Carrie of Campbellsville

5 great-grandchildren: Morgan Beth and Evan Thomas Gupton of Cincinnati, OH; Ella Jewel, Margaret Ann and James William Gupton of Campbellsville

2 sisters-in-law: Vernice Kelly Taylor of Mount Sterling, KY and Beverly Ann Sullivan of Campbellsville

Former sister-in-law: Brenda Keene of Maryville, KY

1 brother-in-law: David Lee (Pete) Gupton, Sr. of Finley, KY

 A great host of nieces, nephews and other relatives & friends

Jewel was preceded in death by her parents, John and Essie Taylor, her brother, James Darrell Taylor, a brother-in-law, Willard Harry Gupton and a former sister-in-law, Wini Phillips Taylor.

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VISITATION:  5:00 - 8:00 P.M., Thursday, August 11, 2022 at Parrott & Ramsey Funeral Home

FUNERAL SERVICE: 11:00 A.M., Friday, August 12, 2022 at Parrott & Ramsey Funeral Home in Campbellsville by Rev. David Griesemer and Rev. Dave Walters

INTERMENT: Campbellsville Memorial Gardens

EXPRESSIONS OF SYMPATHY REQUESTED TO BE DONATIONS TO GIDEON BIBLES AND MAY BE MADE AT PARROTT & RAMSEY FUNERAL HOME.