John Elmer Keary-Taylor

John led a distinguished life of service, serving in three branches of the United States military: the Army, Air Force Reserve and Navy. After earning a degree in Business Administration from the University of Toledo, he attended U.S. Navy Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, and was commissioned as an ensign in the Naval Reserve.

His naval service included deployment to Vietnam in 1965, where he participated in coastal interdiction operations and served with the joint Army-Navy Mobile Riverine Force in the Mekong River Delta. After qualifying as a Surface Warfare Officer and transferring to the Regular Navy, he served as weapons officer aboard several destroyers.

As weapons officer aboard the USS Mullinnix, John participated in a mission in the Black Sea to monitor Soviet military communications. Following the successful mission, the ship and its crew received the Meritorious Unit Commendation from the Secretary of the Navy.

After resigning his Navy commission, John joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) as a Special Agent. Initially assigned to the Mobile, Alabama, field office, he served on the FBI's Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team and participated in a confrontation with a bank robbery gang in Opp, Alabama. He later specialized in foreign counterintelligence and served in the New York City field office, where he initiated an operation targeting undercover Soviet KBG officers.

John's FBI career also included assignments at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and overseas as Assistant Legal Attache' at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City and Legal Attache' at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, Canada, where he managed the FBI office.

Following his retirement from the FBI, John became the Wrigley Company's first Corporate Security Director in Chicago, Illinois. He developed and implemented the company's first comprehensive security standards for its 29 manufacturing facilities worldwide. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Crime Commission and was a member of the International Security Management Association.

Throughout his life, John demonstrated an enduring commit

ment to service, leadership, and professional excellence. His legacy includes decades of service to his country and lasting contributions to military service, law enforcement and corporate security.

Beyond his distinguished career, John was a man of extraordinary intellectual curiosity and refined interests. An avid reader and accomplished student of military history, he possessed an extensive knowledge of naval history and held a particular admiration for Lord Nelson and Napoleon. He was equally passionate about the American Civil War and World War II. His personal library, containing more than 1,000 books, was his pride and joy--a reflection of a lifetime devoted to learning, discovering, and appreciation for the people and events that shaped history. He also collected fine prints depicting important figures and defining moments in military history, surrounding himself with objects of beauty and lasting significance. His interests extended well beyond the written page. While living in New York, he held season tickets to the symphony, opera, and ballet, finding great pleasure in the beauty and artistry of each. He loved to travel, explore new places, and enjoy fine dining, embracing the richness and pleasures of life with enthusiasm and appreciation.

As much as John treasured knowledge, history, and the arts, his family and personal relationships held a special place in his heart. He dearly loved his children and grandchildren, cherished his church and valued the enduring friendships he shared within his community. These connections brought meaning and richness to his life, just only an impressive legacy of service and achievement, but also the memory of a man whose passions enriched his life and whose love for his family, faith, and friends will continue to be treasured by all who knew him.

John is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 47 years, Christine Keary-Taylor; children Colin Keary-Taylor, Deirdre Keary-Taylor, Stephanie Darst and Kim Redd; grandchildren; Colette, Vivienne, Fabian, Christopher, Alex and Cornelia.

Visitation will be held at Radney Funeral Home-Mobile, 3155 Dauphin Street, Mobile, Alabama on Sunday, October 18, 2026 from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Monday, October 19, 2026 beginning at 10:00 a.m. at Saving Grace Lutheran Church, 1500 Snow Road, Mobile, Alabama. Interment with military honors will begin at 1:00 p.m. at the Alabama Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Spanish Fort, Alabama.