“Celebrating

Lady Ada Joyce Taylor

A Black History Month Tribute to the Woman Behind the Work"

Many know Lady Ada Joyce Taylor as a leader, entrepreneur, and author whose name is associated with successful businesses, community impact, and trailblazing accomplishments. Yet long before the titles, recognition, or public accolades, Lady Ada understood herself to be something far more essential. A servant.

At her core, Lady Ada is guided by purpose rather than position. Everything she does flows from a deep desire to help, heal, and uplift others. Titles may come and go, but purpose remains. Faith, family, and compassion have shaped her life, along with the quiet discipline of doing what is right even when no one is watching. Those closest to her often describe her as generous, a trait she attributes directly to her mother.

Lady Ada’s story begins in the Pruitt Igoe projects, where she was raised as an only child by her mother, Lucille Brown Beard. Though their household consisted of just the two of them, it never felt lacking. Her mother’s love was abundant, intentional, affirming, and deeply nurturing. Her mother always said it was “me and you” against the world, and wrapped in that assurance, Ada grew up feeling safe, loved, and secure. From an early age, Ada felt seen, valued, and confident in the strength of that bond. She describes herself as a happy only child, filled with love, love she would later spend her life pouring into others.

At just six years old, her world was shaken when her mother became seriously ill and was hospitalized. During that uncertain season, a neighbor, Mrs. Jenkins, welcomed young Ada into her home and cared for her with extraordinary kindness. That experience left a lasting imprint. Even in fear and disruption, Ada learned what it meant to be covered by community, compassion, and grace.

Faith entered her life early, not as theory, but as necessity. Her mother’s deep belief in God became Ada’s anchor. She remembers praying earnestly for weeks, crying out for her mother to return home. When her prayers were answered and her mother returned, that moment solidified Ada’s trust in God. A trust she has never lost.

Her mother was a provider in every sense of the word. She taught Ada discipline, responsibility, financial wisdom, and the value of hard work, modeling those principles daily. Combined with Ada’s growing faith, those lessons laid the foundation for her future leadership and service.

Responsibility came early. Life was not always easy, but it was rich with lessons in resilience, perseverance, respect, and standing firm when circumstances attempt to shake you. Ada learned early that she could trust God, and she has never forgotten that He has never failed her.

As a young girl, she did not yet envision the full scope of what God would allow her to build, but she always believed her life would be meaningful. She once told her mother that she would work multiple jobs so her mother would not have to work so hard. Even then, her heart leaned toward responsibility for others.

After graduating high school, what Lady Ada describes as God’s divine order began to unfold. A cousin working as a licensed practical nurse introduced her to the nursing profession, and something immediately resonated. Caring for people, serving others, and being paid to do meaningful work felt like confirmation of her calling. Nursing was not merely employment. It was purpose. Lady Ada followed that path and became an LPN herself.

This journey was not without challenges. She encountered prejudice and challenges common to the era, but she persevered with faith and the life lessons her mother had instilled. Her dedication led to advancement into management roles and eventually into teaching, where she served as an instructor. Her career expanded in both scope and influence, always centered on care.

When her mother later became ill again, Lady Ada’s professional preparation allowed her to care for her while continuing to work in healthcare. God then connected her with an administrator who taught her the operational side of the industry and encouraged her to open an assisted living facility. That mentorship, combined with her education and experience, prepared her to establish Deer Valley Home Health Services, where she now serves as President and Chief Executive Officer.

Today, Deer Valley Home Health Services operates in North County, Olivette, and Kansas City, Missouri. As one of the few Black owned home health agencies in the region, Lady Ada leads with excellence, integrity, and vision, creating pathways for others to see what is possible.

Her life has also been shaped profoundly by love. Her late husband, Chef Henry Taylor, was a steadfast source of encouragement and belief. After his passing, she honored his legacy by opening Ol Henry’s Restaurant, a tribute built on love, remembrance, and resilience. To Lady Ada, legacy is not simply remembered. It is built and shared.

She is equally quick to credit her leadership team, emphasizing that true leadership requires people who serve with compassion and integrity at all times. She believes strong leadership is never singular, but collaborative and rooted in shared values.

Compelled by her journey, Lady Ada eventually felt called to share her story through authorship. Writing required vulnerability, particularly when addressing chapters involving trauma and painful experiences. In her book, she speaks openly about the trafficking that occurred, a difficult but necessary truth to tell. She understood that her story needed to be shared to encourage others who are still finding their way. She wrote for those who feel called but unsure, for those who need to know that beginnings do not define endings, and for her children and grandchildren.

Family remains central to her definition of success. She is deeply proud of her children and grandchildren and is committed to ensuring they are educated, grounded in faith, and in relationship with God. When Lady Ada speaks of success today, she measures it by service. She often says she hopes to hear God say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” To her, success means leading with compassion, serving with integrity, and making room for others to rise.

Her message to aspiring business owners is simple and powerful. Start anyway. Preparation comes through obedience. You do not need everything in place. You need faith and willingness.

In addition to her work in healthcare, leadership, and service, Lady Ada is also the founder of the Metro St. Louis Millionaire’s Club. The mission of the organization is to honor and follow the blueprint left by our forefathers to build and maintain wealth within communities. Through economic development, financial education, and sustainable business practices, the Metro St. Louis Millionaire’s Club empowers and uplifts communities by promoting ownership, stewardship, and generational stability.

This work reflects Lady Ada Joyce Taylor’s belief that lasting empowerment includes economic literacy and access. By teaching principles of wealth building alongside faith, discipline, and service, she continues to expand her legacy of leadership and community transformation. Readers are encouraged to purchase a copy of her book and companion workbook on Amazon, where she further shares practical wisdom, lived experience, and guidance designed to inspire purpose driven success and generational impact.

Book or Workbook at Millionairesclubstl.org

This Black History Month, we salute Lady Ada Joyce Taylor, a woman whose life exemplifies service, resilience, faith, and purpose. Her legacy stands as living proof that when service is rooted in faith, it has the power to transform lives and generations.