Mr. William D. “Bill” Taylor, 93, was welcomed by his Lord and Savior and reunited with his beloved wife of 62 years, Jeanne Gardner Taylor, on Monday, July 25, 2022. Born June 17, 1929, in Belle Haven, he was the son of the late P. Lynwood Taylor and the late Delia Bonniwell Taylor.
Bill proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy for 22 years, retiring in 1968. During his Naval career, the Taylor’s resided in Virginia Beach, and in 1976, they returned to the Eastern Shore. In retirement, Bill pursued many career interests including automobile sales and home construction and renovation. He built their home in Greenbush, where they resided until moving to Orange, Va., in 2010. Throughout his lifetime, he remained close to his Christian values and took great pleasure in giving his time to the Lord and his church.
Bill was a member of Orange Presbyterian Church and former member of Naomi Makemie Presbyterian Church in Onancock. He served as elder, deacon, and member of many church committees and was elected to serve as a delegate for the Presbytery and General Assembly of the Presbyterian church. Although Bill had health challenges over the last several years, he remained positive and hopeful, and his faith never wavered. He was a member of the color guard for the VFW Post 2269, Tasley, and a member of the American Legion Post 156, Orange. Bill enjoyed spending time outdoors and was an avid golfer, gardener, and hunter.
Left to cherish his memory are his daughters, Peggy Clarke, of Virginia Beach, and Karen Gregg and her husband, Sean, of Orange; sister, Patricia Taylor, of Saluda, Va.; grandchildren, Stephen Clarke and his wife, Jennifer, Bonnie McNabb and her husband, Andy, Katherine Martin and her husband, Tom, Brian Clarke and his wife, Seircha, and Anne Trabandt and her husband, Scott; sister-in-law, Naomi Taylor; 13 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; and many dear friends. In addition to his wife and parents, he was predeceased by his brothers, Wayne, Lee, and Hollis Taylor, and his beloved stepmother, Margaret Wilson Taylor.
A service in celebration of the life of Bill Taylor will be held Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, at 1 p.m., at the Naomi Makemie Presbyterian Church, in Onancock, with the Rev. Monica Gould officiating. Private interment will be held in the Onancock Cemetery.
Contributions in Bill’s memory may be made to Naomi Makemie Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 397, Onancock, VA 23417.
Memory tributes may be shared with the family at www.williamsfuneralhomes.com
