John Jacob Taylor

John Jacob Taylor was born on December 22, 1912, to Maud and Winfield Carroll Taylor in Marshall, Ill. He was the oldest of five children, two of whom died in early childhood. He was also preceded in death by his dear sister, Margaret Jane Hoover of Houston, and his beloved wife, Margery Power Taylor.

He attended Texas A&M College (now University) and graduated in 1934, with a degree in petroleum engineering. While attending Texas A&M, John was a member of the Ross Volunteers and participated in the inauguration of one of the governors of Texas. John and his classmates befriended a stray dog which later became the Reveilee I.

Following college, John began a career with Stanolind Oil Company in Hobbs, NM. While working in Hobbs, John met his bride-to-be, Margery Power who was teaching at the time. They were married in 1939, on the bride’s family farm near Bonham, TX.

John served in the U.S. Army’s Fifth Cavalry during World War II, earning the rank of captain. His military career included serving in the quartermaster in Japan after the bombing. During the war, Margery and John were stationed in El Paso, TX. Toward the end of the war, Margery gave birth to their only child, Carolyn. After the war, John continued to work for Stanolind (now BP Amoco).

John and Margery lived in a number of West Texas towns including Wink, Iraan, Brownfield, and Sweetwater. John’s final transfer was to Odessa, where he served as area foreman for Amoco. John was responsible for the South Cowden area until his retirement in 1977. John was dearly loved and respected by his fellow employees. Nearly 400 people attended his retirement party at the Ector County Coliseum. Co-workers sent John and Margery on a trip to Hawaii in appreciation for his more than forty years of service.

In his younger years, John enjoyed bird hunting, fishing, and golf. Later, Margery encouraged him to stop bird hunting and to start bird watching. John and Margery traveled throughout most of the Southwest. However, their favorite vacation spot was Big Bend National Park where they hiked almost all of the primitive trails, including backpacking for several days on the unmarked trails.

Wherever they lived, John and Margery were members of the Methodist Church. Currently, John was a faithful member of the First United Methodist Church of Odessa.

John leaves behind his brother, James Edward Taylor, MD; his daughter, Carolyn Taylor Crockett and son-in-law, Jerry Hugh Crockett; granddaughter, Michelle Lynn Crockett, grandson, John Kevin Crockett and wife, Shannon Lee Crockett; two great-grandsons, John Samuel and Benjamin William Crockett, as well as nieces and nephews and other family and friends.

The family wishes to thank Joan Ruebush and Heather Kincaid, caregivers to John, for their love and compassion to him over the last five years.

Family visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 14, 2010, at Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., on Monday, February 15, 2010, at First United Methodist Church of Odessa. A fellowship luncheon will follow the service. Graveside services will commence later that day at 2:00 p.m. at Sunset Memorial Gardens.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts be given to the First United Methodist Church, to the Door of Hope Mission in Odessa, to UTPB, the Humane Society of Odessa, or the American Heart Association.

Online condolences may be left at www.mem.com.

Services entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home of Odessa.