William Thomas Taylor

William Thomas Taylor was born December 26, 1956 in Wyatt, Missouri to Eugene Taylor, Sr. and Eva Mae Starks Taylor. William departed this life January 30, 2023, which is also the same day his father died 24 years earlier, at the age of 66 years, one month, and five days. He was the second oldest of eight children. At the age of three, William and his family moved to Buffalo, New York. He attended Bennett High School and his senior year, he graduated from Burgard Vocational High School. As a young man, he enlisted and served in the United States Marine Corps. He later reenlisted in the Navy where he finished his career after over 20 years of service. He received the First Marine Corps Good Conduct Award, the Third Navy Good Conduct Award, Navy Expeditionary Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (2nd), Nato Medal, and Armed Forces Service Medal. William served his country faithfully and retired with an honorable discharge. On July 15, 1977, William met and married F. Jovita Clark in Buffalo, New York and to this union one daughter was born. They divorced in 1995. He later moved to Mayport, Florida where he worked at the Naval shipyard until his retirement there. William met the love of his life, Terry Kreiser, in Jacksonville, Florida. The happy couple married March 22, 2014. William loved shooting pool and throwing darts. He also had a passion for working on cars, in fact, he came from a family of mechanics. He also had a longing and passion for his family, so much, that he moved back to Missouri in 2015. William is preceded in death by his parents, Eugene Sr. and Eva Taylor, grandparents on both sides, Leola (Lozelle) Cothran and Tommie (Sadie Mae) Howard, three siblings, Sylvia, Joe, and Annette, and one son, Joseph Rodgers. He leaves to cherish his legacy, his loving wife, Terry Taylor of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, one daughter, Quenita (Edward) Taylor-Lee of Buffalo, New York, one step-daughter, Jennifer Jackson of Middleburgh, Florida, three brothers, Tyrone (Melissa) Taylor of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Eugene (Elaine) Taylor, Jr. of Columbia, South Carolina, Anthony Taylor of Buffalo, New York, two sisters, Cynthia Taylor and Tonja (Damon) Newkirk both of Buffalo, New York, nine grandchildren, three great grandchildren, five aunts, five uncles, two special God brothers, Edward Powell and Anthony Ranell (AntAnt) Robinson, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Friends may call February 11, 2023 at 11:00 A.M. until the funeral hour of 12:00 noon at St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church with Reverend Frankie Reed Daniels officiating. Interment will immediately follow in Oak Grove Cemetery in Charleston, Missouri with full military honors. The Williams Funeral Homes is in charge of arrangements. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William Thomas Taylor, please visit our flower store.