William E. “Bill” Taylor, 103, passed away on January 15, 2020, in Tallahassee, FL. Born in Jacksonville, FL, on April 5, 1916, Bill moved to Miami as a youth and graduated from Miami Senior High. In 1936, he married Frances Melsom, with their son, William H., born in 1937. Bill served in the U.S. Army during WWII in the coastal defense battalion in Connecticut; and then as a combat engineer in Europe and the Philippines. Upon his discharge in 1945, he returned to Miami and his job in the U.S. Postal Service, where he remained until his retirement in 1972. Bill and Frances relocated to Tallahassee in 1974.
Retiring to Bill meant traveling the country, initially for the Lutheran Laity Movement, and then for pleasure. He was always proud to say that he could travel across the country and never have to pay for a motel room. After Frances passed away in 1980, Bill continues to work on behalf of the Lutheran church. Along the way he met Virginia Ruprecht; they married in 1989, and lived in Chuluota, FL until Jinny’s death in 1998. Bill then returned to Tallahassee to be nearer to his family.
Bill is survived by his daughter-in-law, Connie Taylor; grandson, Jon Taylor (Jen); granddaughter, Kate Stratton (Scott); 5 great-grandchildren, Emma, Will, Isabelle, Nathan, and Benjamin; nieces, Marguerite Tooley and Muriel Johnstone; nephew, Larry Johnstone; and dear friend Louise Korta. Bill’s family is very grateful for the care and compassion shown to him by the staff of Allegro Assisted Living.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 18, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, 2198 North Meridian Road, Tallahassee. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church or the Joslin Diabetes Center, One Joslin Place, Suite 745, Boston, MA 02215.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18