Eric Johnson received his degree in funeral services with honors from St. Petersburg College in 2010. He came to Larry Taylor Funeral and Cremation Services in 2009 while in college, and he completed his internship under the leadership and supervision of Larry and Micah. 

Born in Wisconsin, Eric moved with his family to Southwest Michigan at age 14. He became a resident of Southwest Florida in 2004 for the same reasons that many of our community have come to our area: to escape the cold and snow. 

Introduced to the funeral business at an early age, Eric greatly appreciates honoring life and serving families in this community. His expertise in creating meaningful celebrations of life has helped many families. He thinks outside the box and helps families celebrate the lives of their loved ones in very creative ways. 

Larry planned for Eric to partner with him as he reached retirement age. When he retired, he wanted Eric to carry on the business and be there for our community to help them “celebrate a life well lived.” After Larry's sudden death in April 2019, Eric and his wife Carolyn began their journey of carrying on Larry’s legacy while creating their own. 

On July 1st, 2019, Eric and Carolyn purchased the funeral home from Marian and, on September 4th, 2019, officially changed the name of the funeral home to Johnson-Taylor Funeral & Cremation.

Some people say you cannot have too many hobbies…well, Eric is testing that theory. He is a retired airline pilot and flight instructor who has become well-known for his knowledge of antique clocks, and he's also interested in antique coins, watches, and cars. When Eric is not in the office, you can find him out and about in our community supporting local sports teams and charities, metal detecting, perusing antique shops and coin shops, and cruising into car shows. He has been a Green Bay Packers fan since birth and enjoys spending time with his family rooting them on. 

Eric is married to Carolyn and lives in Punta Gorda. They have 6 wonderful children: Austin, Lauren, Ashton, Blake, Brendan, and Eric II.

Carolyn Johnson received her degree with honors from Florida SouthWestern State College, with a BAS in Supervision and Management and a minor in Business Administration and Management. She was born in Minnesota and raised in Missouri until enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1997. 

After honorably serving as an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighter (ARFF), she relocated to Florida in 2002. She also served at the local VA Healthcare facility for numerous years. 

Her passion and dedication to serving veterans in the local community have driven her desire to join her husband, Eric, in carrying on Larry’s legacy at the funeral home. Carolyn has extensive experience in office administration and veteran affairs and has been consistently recognized for her exemplary customer service. 

Lauren Elliott, the daughter of Eric and Carolyn, serves families as our Administrative Assistant. She grew up watching Larry, Micah, and Eric work at the funeral home, but it was not until the passing of someone dear that she realized the impact family and friends can have on one another. 

Lauren began her career by getting her wedding and event planner certification. Her goal is to shine a light on the special moments and celebrate the lives of those around us. Her compassion and understanding of family values will serve our community well. 

Lauren and her husband Keaton have a son and a daughter. They enjoy spending time with their family, doing outdoor activities, and playing with their dogs.

Andrea was called to a career in funeral service in 1996, after her father unexpectedly passed away at the young age of 51.  She is a 1998 graduate of the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science.  Andrea also earned an Associate Degree in Human Services from Ivy Tech State College and has been a licensed funeral director for over 26 years.

Andrea’s passion is helping families plan ahead for their life celebration.  When she isn’t serving families, she enjoys outdoor activities, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends. 

Emma works remotely providing meaningful aftercare for the families we serve via text message and email. She cherishes the opportunity of connecting with families every day by sharing helpful resources and having genuine conversations. She finds it an honor serving her community in this capacity and implementing values she holds dear in her personal life as well. Namely, kindness, selflessness, and connection. Outside of work, you’ll catch her reading a book, going for a run, or spending time with her family.

Larry Taylor, our founder, was in the funeral business since 1980 and served the Charlotte County community until his death in April 2019. He founded Larry Taylor Funeral and Cremation Services in 2000 with the goal of providing old-fashioned service at affordable prices. 

Never one to stop moving forward, Larry sought out ways to better celebrate lives with innovative and personalized printing and pictorial tributes. His care and attention to each family's personal needs for commemorating their loved one's life earned him the respect of the community. He and the funeral home were honored to be named Best Funeral Home and Best Funeral Director 18 times since first opening in 2000. 

Larry came to this community with his family in 1969 and was a member of First Baptist Church of Port Charlotte. He was very active in the community as a member of Punta Gorda Kiwanis, bringing many programs to Charlotte County in service to kids, such as The Socks for Kids Project and Christmas at East (Elementary). 

He was a proud member of the Tidewell Hospice and Palliative Care Community Advisory Counsel and co-chairman of their capital campaign when they expanded the Hospice House, a longtime member of His Four Southern Gospel Quartet, and was an umpire/trainer/evaluator for Little League thru college age baseball spending many years on committees with FHSAA, including being recognized as FHSAA Umpire of the Year for 2014 -15. 

Larry greatly impacted our community, and we are committed to continuing his legacy.

Micah Botts, as a funeral director for 40 years, had the opportunity to help plan the celebrations and services for thousands of families with the utmost care and compassion. He came to Larry Taylor Funeral and Cremation Services in 2002 and was an integral part of the funeral home's success. Micah was born and raised in Florida and had been in Southwest Florida since 1986. He passed away unexpectedly in September of 2022. 

Micah was a Florida State University and Tampa Bay Bucs fan for many years. When he wasn't in the office, you could find him on the various golf courses within the community. It was a lifelong passion of his; in fact, he had been hitting the links since he was 7 years old. Micah was married to Dawn and lived in North Port. His son, Kyle, lives in Colorado and is a Marine Corps Veteran.