Billy Banks Taggart

First Sgt Billy Banks Taggart, USMC passed away Sunday June 26th in Hermann Memorial City Hospital after a short illness. He was born July 8, 1927 in Temple, Texas, the first son of Jewel Leigh Huffman Taggart and William Forrest Taggart. He is survived by his brother Milton Taggart, sister Judy Taggart Mc Taggart (husband Wes), son; Ian Taggart (wife Ingrid) 2 daughters; Hollye Taggart Ballard (husband Randy) and Bonnie Taggart Wade (husband Bob) and several well-loved grandchildren, great grandchildren, nephews, and nieces. After graduating from Stephen F. Austin High School, Houston, Texas in 1944, Bill joined the US Marines at age 17 with his lifelong friends Vincent Cremona and Henry Holley. He serviced on both the West and East coasts, plus a tour in Scotland in 1961; also in two wars, Korea in 1952, and in Vietnam 1966-67. He retired in 1968 after 24 years of honorable active service. He had begun his college career at the University of Houston and completed the requirements for his degree at the University of South Carolina in Beaufort. Bill was an avid tennis player and served as tennis commissioner at the Westside Tennis Club for many years. There he had a wide circle of friends. He particularly enjoyed annual trips with them to Kiawah Island, SC. He also enjoyed playing cribbage, and pinochle, and it was very difficult to beat him in these games. Having a lifelong love of classical music, he presented weekly Sunday Broadway and Opera evenings at his residence in Eagle’s Trace. He was a member of Grace Memorial Presbyterian Church where he was an usher and volunteered with many of their service projects. He volunteered as a tour guide on the USS Texas, in Galveston. Bill also volunteered at the NPR radio station KUHF where he spent many hours on the telephone during their fund raising campaign. Bill was an extremely popular man, and a supporter of many worthy causes. He will be sorely missed by his family and wide circle of friends. Once a Marine always a Marine! Semper Fi, Bill and Sayonara. The family will receive friends Thursday, June 30, 2011, from 5pm – 8pm. The funeral is scheduled for Friday, July 1, 2011, 11am at the Main Chapel of Forest Park Lawndale Funeral Home. Interment Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery.