Joseph Warren Taggart

Joe was born on January 2, 1940, in Tampa, Florida, and spent his wonderful life as a follower of Jesus, a devoted husband, a loving father, a nurturing grandfather and a mentor to many.

Joe anchored his life on three Fs: Faith, Family and Friends. He impacted countless people in Tampa with his integrity, honesty, positivity and comic relief.

Joe was perhaps best known for his endearing laugh and infectious smile—and he always had one more story to tell. Indeed, he was a world-class storyteller, and his ability to captivate an audience was legendary.

But his greatest gift was loving others. Joe loved his family as deeply as one could, and he never let a day go by without telling them. He loved his friends just as he did his family, making everyone who knew him feel special. He showed up for the people he loved, and his loyalty to them was unwavering.

Joe was raised in South Tampa and attended Roosevelt Elementary, Wilson Middle School and H.B. Plant High School before attending Florida State University and earning his MBA from Rollins College. Joe began his career in Tampa as a banker with Freedom Savings and Loan before transitioning to commercial real estate development. Beginning in the late 1970s, Joe acquired and developed commercial properties throughout Tampa and went on to found Taggart Properties, Inc., his commercial real estate brokerage firm. Over the decades that followed, Joe helped shape Tampa’s commercial landscape through significant projects including Hidden River Corporate Park and Corporate Centers at International Plaza, while also holding leadership and advisory roles with Crescent Resources, Cushman & Wakefield and CLW Real Estate Services.

Much of the Tampa landscape bears the fingerprints of Joe Taggart. His legacy in Tampa real estate will be remembered not only for what he helped build, but for how he conducted himself—a tough but fair approach to business, always grounded in honesty and integrity. His profound impact on Tampa's business community was recognized in 2025 when he was inducted into the Tampa Bay Business Hall of Fame.

A lifelong resident of Tampa, Joe cared deeply about the community he called home. He was a devoted member of Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church and gave generously of his time through numerous civic and charitable organizations, including board positions with Tampa General Hospital, the University of South Florida Foundation, Gold Shield Foundation, Executive Board of Tampa Parkway Association, Committee of 100 for City of Commerce, Executive Advisory Board for FSU Real Estate Program, Dean’s Circle of the College of Business at USF and FSU. A longtime member of Tampa Yacht & Country Club and a proud member of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, Joe had the great honor of serving as King of YMKG in 2014.

Joe's lifelong sports passion was the game of golf. He loved the sport deeply and felt it was the game closest to the game we call life. In the words of one of his favorite golfers, Bobby Jones: “You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots, but you have to play the ball as it lies.”

It was a philosophy that reflected the way Joe lived his life: move forward, don't major in the minors, keep your word, treat people fairly, be grateful for what you have, and never take yourself too seriously. He believed in showing up for people, being loyal, working hard and letting your actions speak louder than your words. He looked for the best in others, forgave easily and, above all, he believed in living with faith, integrity, humility, gratitude and joy.

Joe is survived by his loving wife, Suzanne R. Taggart; his daughters, Paige Taggart, Jolyn Lively (Derek) and Teale Smith (Trey); his son, Joe Taggart (Mary); and his grandchildren, Ian McCoy, Brooke Lively, Ty Lively, Reid Taggart, Mac Taggart, Knox Taggart, Henry Smith and Barrett Smith; his brother John Taggart (Barbara) and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his brother, James K. Taggart; his father, James W. Taggart; and his mother, Marguerite K. Taggart as well as his favorite four-legged family members Tag, Duke and Duchess.

The Taggart family wishes to express its heartfelt gratitude for the outpouring of love, support, and prayers from the community. They are also deeply grateful to the dedicated teams of doctors and nurses at Moffitt Cancer Center and Tampa General Hospital who cared for Joe throughout his journey, with special thanks to Dr. Benjamin Mackie at Tampa General Hospital for his exceptional care and compassion.

A visitation will be held at Blount & Curry Funeral Home on MacDill Avenue on Friday, September 25th, from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. A memorial service will be held the following day, Saturday, September 26th, at 10:00 a.m. at Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church. A private family burial has taken place. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations in Joe’s memory to Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church and the Tampa General Hospital Foundation.