Donald Ray Taylor

Donald Ray Taylor passed away March 31, 2017, of complications after hip surgery. He lived 79 full and rich years. He was born March 3, 1938, in Palestine, Texas, to Malcolm and Kittie Taylor. He was a gentle and kind man with a sharp mind and interest in many things. He and wife Shirley loved to travel, having traveled to 26 countries. They walked on the Great Wall of China, saw where Jesus was baptized, the statue of David in Florence, the Rosetta Stone, the Mona Lisa, dined in Paris and walked the halls of Versailles, kissed the Blarney Stone, saw David Blaine suspended high in London, and ate dinner in Morocco. They went to Hawaii and Alaska a couple of times, and every other state except Connecticut. In addition to traveling, Don was also interested in classical music, trains, photography, and learning about the creation of the Universe. He could have been dropped anywhere on the planet and he would have known where he was. He jumped out of airplanes, and visited the battlefields of the Revolutionary and Civil War. Don was a letter carrier for 35 years, 24 years in Conroe. After early retirement he worked for America West Airlines for a few years. More recently, he worked at Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home, having retired 2 years ago after 10 years. Don was active in Christian women’s equality in the church and in the home. Don is now on the greatest adventure of them all, having arrived, as our Christian faith teaches, safely in the presence of God. He was preceded in death by his 3 year-old daughter, Andrea Taylor, and his mother, father, and infant sister. He will be lovingly remembered and sorely missed by his wife of 55 years, Shirley Taylor; his sons Stanley Taylor and wife Kathleen of Harker Heights, and Curtis Taylor of Willis. He is survived by his brother Bob Taylor and wife Bernadine of Willis; by his best friend, Billy Weemes, Shirley’s brother who introduced them. He is survived by granddaughters Leilani, Memorie, and Britney. Greatgrandchildren: Nathanael, Kolohe, Sabrae, Xavier, Dominic, Makana and Isaiah. Also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins. Visitation will be Tuesday, April 4 from 6-8 PM at Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home in Willis. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, April 5 at 11:00AM at Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home in Willis, with Rev. David Lindwall, pastor of Montgomery United Methodist Church officiating. You are invited to leave a written condolence on our website at www.shmfh.com.

Donald Ray Taylor

March 3, 1938 - March 31, 2017