Coach Taylor, a native of Conyers, Rockdale County, Georgia, was born 26 January 1950 to William D. and Susan C. Taylor. He graduated from Rockdale County High school in 1968, where he was Captain of his high school football team during his senior year. His BS (1974) and MS (1981) degrees were received from Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, Alabama. Taylor returned to Rockdale in 1974 to begin his high school coaching career. He coached in several schools in Georgia before moving onto Alabama.
Taylor’s Alabama coaching career started with Walter Wellborn High School, Wellborn, Alabama and ended with Lincoln High School, Lincoln, Alabama. The coach is best known for the success of his high school wrestling teams. His Weaver High School wrestling teams won Class 1A-4A State Championships in 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004. His Weaver school wrestling teams had a dual meet win streak record of 221. It still stands as the 2nd longest win streak in the nation.
Although he rose to prominence with wrestling, Coach Taylor had a successful career as a football and baseball coach. He had a won – loss record of 201- 130 in baseball. He was honored 9 times as Alabama’s wrestling coach of the year, twice as USA wrestling coach of the year for the southeastern U.S., and once as Calhoun County’s baseball coach of the year. His highest honors came in 2010 and 2011 when he was elected into the Alabama High School Sports Association Hall of Fame (2010) and the Calhoun County Sports Hall of Fame (2011).
He will be missed by all that knew and loved him.
Coach Taylor is survived by his mother Susan C. Taylor (Villa Rica, GA), his son Jake Taylor (Jacksonville, AL), daughter Misty Taylor (Eastaboga, AL), sisters Linda Taylor Smith (Conyers, GA), Lisa Taylor (Villa Rica, GA), brother and sister-in-law Teal and Kathy Simpson Taylor (Villa Rica, GA), 2 nieces, 4 nephews, 5 great nieces and 1 great nephew. He was preceded in death by his father William D. Taylor.
Visitation will be from 5 pm to 8 pm CST, Wed. 4 December 2013 at Gray Brown – Service Mortuary and Crematory in Anniston, Alabama. Funeral services will be Thurs. 4 December 2013 at 2 pm CST at Eulaton United Methodist Church in Anniston, Alabama officiated by Jake Taylor with graveside services at the church cemetery to be officiated by Dennis Martin. There will also be visitation at the church 1 hr. prior to the service.
Pall Bearers will be Banyon Allison, Dennis Martin, Jackie Mitchell, Ricky Smith, Cody Howell, and Cole Taylor. Honorary pall bearers are Larry Pruitt and Weaver High School’s 9 State Championship Wrestling Teams coached by Coach Taylor.
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