The poker world received sad news on Thursday, June 15 with the passing of Texas poker legend Carolyn Taylor, who was perhaps best known for running a regular poker game in the Lonestar State for more than 50 years.

Affectionately known as “The First Woman in Texas Poker,” Taylor’s game was regularly visited by such legends as Cowboy Wolford (her father-in-law), Amarillo Slim Preston, Bill Smith, Sailor Roberts, Bob Hooks, TJ Cloutier, and even country music icon Willie Nelson.

“My Hero peacefully passed away this morning and began her journey to the Kingdom of Heaven,” her son, Ben Taylor, shared on social media. “She has been my rock, best friend, Mentor, & biggest supporter. From raising me as a single Mother all the way to now she has sacrificed & blessed our family beyond measure. Words cannot express the heartbreak, devastation, & grief we are all feeling now as a family.”

He added: “She was a one of a kind larger than life personality and we are blessed that she was such a huge part of our lives. Mom was the greatest gift giver, travel agent, poker player, joke teller, story teller, & the coolest mom a kid could ever ask for. Mom, we all love you and miss you deeply. Thank you for being the Angel on Earth that we all needed.”

Playing Poker with Willie Nelson

At age 70, Taylor wrote about her experience playing poker with the legendary Willie Nelson.

“Let’s talk poker and put it to rest. I have always been fascinated by numbers and odds. And I was allowed to watch the men play poker, but NO, a woman cannot play. The first time Willie Nelson came to my house, I announced, I am playing poker, and we Can file for divorce tomorrow, but I am playing, and I did. Willie wrote me a check For $1400 WHEN the game was over and I didn’t cash it for several months. I began to play, and oh yes, the divorce came shortly after that, and I never looked back.

“I do enjoy it, I enjoy the social aspect, all the friends I have made and you can tell the true character of a person through observations at the poker table. Yes, I have spent many nights with Willie Nelson, No, I have never done drugs, but have had plenty of secondhand smoke and secondhand pot smoke from him. All I can say is the more they smoked weed, the more I won. I have never drunk alcohol, but accidentally took a swallow of Crown and Coke when I thought it was my Dr. Pepper and I spit it out pronto!”

Excellence in Everything She Did

Born in Corsicana, Texas in 1947, Taylor grew up just down the road in Eureka. As a child, she played card games daily with her mother. She excelled throughout high school earning all-district & all-tournament honors. She was also the Salutatorian and voted Coronation Queen.

Her excellence didn’t stop there as she earned both her pilot’s and private investigator licenses, won multiple bowling tournaments, and became the first female pipe liner for Mobile Oil. She was also the first salesperson to sell $1 million in tires, batteries, and accessories for Mobile. Much of it she accomplished as a single mother, having welcomed her son, Ben Taylor, into the world in 1980.

As for her poker game, Amarillo Slim dubbed it the “Poker Palace located 60 miles south of Dallas,” and for the past two decades, she has spent time teaching, training, and mentoring new players in the game.

Her obituary reads in part: “Her skills and fortitude helped her become one of the few female professional poker players. Carolyn loved exploring new technology, history, and Native American Culture. She was an avid hunter, fisherman, and collector of precious stones, crystals, and coral. She had an eclectic love of music all her life. Her warm smile only rivaled her sharp wit and sense of humor.”

Taylor is survived by her son, Ben Jackson Taylor, his wife Manuela Taylor, and their three children, James Taylor, Jasmine Taylor, and Robert Taylor of Corsicana.

Her sister, Margaret Montgomery Thomas, and her husband Gene Thomas of Corsicana. Her niece, LeAnn Thomas Starks of Waco; and many cousins.

She was preceded in death by her father Aaron Ferguson Montgomery, her mother Bessie Miles Montgomery, and her son, James Aaron.
Funeral arrangements for Carolyn Taylor are being made by Corley’s Funeral Home Corsicana with a visitation on Tuesday, June 20 from 6-8 p.m. Her private funeral will be held the following day, Wednesday, June 21 at 10 a.m. at the Eureka Cemetery.

PokerNews offers its deepest condolences to the friends and family of Carolyn Taylor, a Texas poker pioneer.