John Clifton Taylor

A Texas newsman, husband, parent and civic leader whose love for journalism might only have been surpassed by his high regard for community service has ended his tenure as publisher emeritus of the Seguin Gazette.

John Taylor, who bought the Gazette in 1954 and built it into a South Texas publishing powerhouse that printed more than 30 other newspapers, died Friday at a South Austin hospital. He was 88 years old.

A memorial service is set for 2 p.m. Saturday at Goetz Funeral Home, 713 N. Austin St., Seguin, Texas, 78130. Interment will follow at the Thompsonville Cemetery, Thompsonville, Texas.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association. For information, log on to the association's website at www.alz.org.

John Clifton Taylor Jr. was born an only child on Aug. 8, 1925 in Gonzales, Texas to John Clifton Taylor Sr. and Eva Lincecum Kolar.

He attended San Marcos Military Academy, graduated from Gonzales High School and joined the U.S. Marine Corps, in which he served from 1943-45.

Upon graduation from Southwest Texas State, Taylor joined the editorial department at the San Antonio Light.

He left the Light in 1954 to purchase the Seguin Gazette, which he owned until 1979.

During his time and his tenure at the Gazette and even afterward, Taylor headed all three of the Texas Press Associations and worked for a time on the staff of the statewide group. He was president of the South Texas Press Association in 1963-64, the Texas Gulf Coast Press Association in 1974-74 and the Texas Press Association in 1975-76.

Among his civic contributions, Taylor was a longtime director of the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, serving 21 years under appointment of four governors ending with Ann Richards.

Taylor was also a member of the St. Mary's University Board of Governors. In Seguin, he was chairman of the Bicentennial Commission, a Rotarian, Boy's Club director, Seguin Youth Center president, a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Elks, the Jaycees and the American Legion, among many others.

Survivors include daughters, Elizabeth (Beth) Ann Taylor of Cedar Creek, Kay Taylor of Gallup, N.M., and Eva Elise (Lisa) Weinstein and her husband, Dean, of Hunt, Texas; son-in-law Ron Watts of Austin; nieces B'lise Burlaos and Virginia Bromley; grandchildren Laura Jorgensen, Carol Williams, Jane Angelus, Bryan Stephens, Judy Weinstein and Rachel Thea Monahan and many great-grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his parents and his stepfather, Bill Kolar; his wife of 45 years, Juanita Taylor; his son, John Clifton Taylor III and daughters, Nancy Lee Taylor Watts, Marilyn Margaret Taylor and Bonnie Lou Taylor.

Arrangements under the direction of Goetz Funeral Home, Seguin, TX.