- Date Of Birth: April 30, 1923
- Date Of Death: March 21, 2013
- State: Florida
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James Robert Taylor (JR, Jim, T-bone, Slick, or Guy to the grandkids) died March 21, 2013. Jim was born in Morganfield, Kentucky,April 30, 1923,to Mary Catharyn Richards and Robert R. spent his childhood with his older brother, Tom, and a large family and many friends in Union County. After his freshman year at the University of Kentucky, he was drafted into WWII and became a U.S. Army pilot. Upon his return from the war, he went to the University of Denver and liked to tell of skiing in the morning and tennis in the afternoon. Ultimately, he returned to the University of Kentucky and his Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity brothers and graduated in 1948. It was love at first site when he met Maxine Bennett on a blind date while attending the University ofLouisville Law School. Maxine was a beautiful and fun-loving fashion model for the Courier-Journal. On their second date, while dancing, Jim told Maxine he was going to marry has been the love of his life since they were married on June 21, 1951. He told the story that in ten days he finished Law School, took the bar exam, got married, and was called back to active duty in the United States Air Force for the Korean War. They were stationed in Rome, New York and Dayton, Ohio, where they had their first child, James R. Taylor II, or Robbie, in 1952. In 1953, Jim left the Air Force but was hired back as a consultant to work with Pan Am in tracking missiles launched from Cape Canaveral. He was told to drive until his headlights hit the surf, then turn right. This brought the family to Cocoa Beach. In 1954, they had their first daughter, Kathryn Lynn, or Kathy, followed seven years later in 1961 by a surprise baby, Jody Bennett, named by her big sister and big brother. Children grew up and went off to FSU, Max and Jim joined and served many clubs and organizations, and life was good in the growing seaside town.
In 1976, Jim accepted what was intended to be a two year contract with Dassault-Falcon Jet. His sun-loving girls, Maxine and Jody, were less than excited about leaving their beloved Cocoa Beach. But, they both grew to love Arkansas. Jim loved Little Rock and was often heard to claim that it was the best kept secret in the nation. He was onto something because sure enough, in the eight years he and Maxine livedthere,all three adult children joined him at some point. Rob attended UALR Law School and was the PE coach at Holy Souls, Kathy came and met the love of her life and future husband, Lanis, and Jody kept coming back and lives there today. Jim and Maxine returned to their home in Cocoa Beach and enjoyed their retirement until Maxine had an aneurism in 1989. Jim took complete care of her, loving her and flirting with her until her death, June 13, 1996. Although he missed her dearly and would laugh until he cried telling stories about her, Jim stayed busy. He spent his time with friends at the Surf, playing golf at the Country Club, smoking cigars on the deck by the pool,or watching his beloved UK, FSU, and UA teams(in that order) win and lose. He regularly went to Winter Park, Nantucket, and Maine with Rob and his family, Susan, Hannah, and Walker. He often lived with and loved being with Kathy and her family, Lanis, ‘Little’ Lanis, and Taylor in Mississippi. He came to see Jody and her children, Libby and Nate in London and Little Rock and they spent much of their childhood with ‘Guy’ in the pool, at Disney, and at the card table. He loved his family, his work, his country, and his will be remembered as a devoted son, husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, great-grandfather, patriot, and trusted friend by all who knew him. He was generous, gregarious, and will be forever missed.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Catharyn and Rob Taylor, his brother Col. Thomas Richard Taylor, his wife Maxineand his son James R. Taylor II (Rob), who passed just one day before him. He is survived by daughters Kathy Noble and husband Lanis of Jackson, Mississippi, Jody Duke of Little Rock, Arkansas, daughter-in-law Susan Taylor of Blue Hill, Maine; grandchildren, Taylor Noble and wife Savannah of New Orleans, Louisiana,Elizabeth (Libby) DeLay and husband Tad of Pasadena, California, Joseph (Nate) Duke of Fayetteville, Arkansas; step- grandchildren Walker Kalan of Chicago, Illinois and Hannah Barron and husband John of Charlottesville, Virginia;his great grandson Evarist Noble of New Orleans, Louisiana and his step great-granddaughter Eliza Barron.
