Promoted to Glory: Major Vivian Childs

Major Vivian Childs was Promoted To Glory on February 28, 2023, from Ardent Health Hospital in Orlando, Florida, at 75 years of age.

Vivian F. Taylor was born on February 12, 1946 in Quincy, Illinois, the eldest daughter of John and Jean Taylor. In 1968, she entered the College For Officer Training in Chicago as a member of the Undaunted Session of cadets. Her first appointment was to St. Louis, Missouri, and later to Omaha, Nebraska.

In 1976, she met a young man from the Southern Territory, Cadet Otis Childs. They fell in love and in May 1978 they were married in Nashville, Tennessee. Together they served as corps officers in Nashville; Washington, D.C.; Petersburg, Virginia; Portsmouth, Virginia; Melbourne, Florida; Ocala, Florida; and Panama City, Florida.

They also served on staff appointments at the National Capital and Virginia Division, the Evangeline Booth College, and at the Southern Territorial Headquarters, both in Atlanta, Georgia.

Major Vivian Childs is survived by her husband of 45 years, Major Otis Childs; son, Jeremy Childs; and daughter Candace (Nicholas) Lewis; four grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins. She also leaves her siblings, Sue Gaines and Charles Taylor.

She is preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, John and Clarence Jackson; and a sister, Alicia Johnson.

Major Vivian Childs retired from active service as a Salvation Army officer in July 2019, with the distinction of being one of only a handful of officers in the Southern Territory serving for 50 years. As a part of her ministerial training, Major Vivian was a student of Sociology and Human Relations—which is quite appropriate because of her love for people.

A Celebration of Life service was held at the Orlando Corps on March 7, 2023, at 11 a.m. A graveside service took place on March 14, 2023 at the Westview Cemetery in Atlanta.

—Major Frank Duracher