Colonel James Oscar "Jim" Taylor, Jr.

Mt. Croghan, S.C.  Colonel James Oscar Taylor, Jr. celebrated a lively 98th birthday on New Year's Eve 2017 and entered his heavenly home on New Year's Day 2018.  Colonel Taylor was a fourth-generation native of  Mt. Croghan, SC born on December 31, 1919 to James Oscar Taylor, Sr. and Lucy Jordan Taylor.   His father, J.O. Taylor, Sr. was an accomplished farmer and President of the Local Bank in Mt. Croghan. He was the son of Franklin Pearce Taylor - a local merchant, Judge and Distinguished Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives and an original signer of the South Carolina State Constitution.  His father was James H. Taylor who sold his plantation in Columbia, SC to the State of South Carolina where the State Capital stands today and settled in Mt. Croghan, S.C in 1786.  Col. Taylor's mother, Lucy Jordan Taylor was a very accomplished lady of her day with two Bachelor degrees at the age of 17. She then acquired a music degree from Juilliard School of Music.  Lucy Taylor was the daughter of Henry H. Jordan and Annie Sellers Jordan of Saxapahaw, N.C.

The Colonel was adored by the people who knew him and loved by all his family.  He is survived by his second wife of 12 years Janie Kirkley Taylor (Cheraw S.C),  (first wife, Carolyn Nicholson Taylor -deceased), son James O. Taylor,  III and wife Debra Watson Taylor (Mt. Croghan. SC) , daughter Carolyn Rose Laney and  husband  Dr. Paul Sherwood Laney  (Mt. Croghan, SC), grandchildren: James O. Taylor, IV (Atlanta, GA),  Natalie Rose Taylor (Mt. Croghan, SC) and partner Kimberly Shaw Baucom,  Jordan Wilson Laney, wife Katie and great-grandson Grayson Porter Laney (Anderson, SC), and Curtis Jackson Laney (Charlotte, NC),: sister Elizabeth Taylor - deceased,: as well as an adoring contingent of nieces and nephews.

Colonel Taylor lived an extraordinary life and has impacted thousands of people's lives... one at a time.   To encounter the Colonel just once became a memorable event.  He was a farmer/ rancher (800 head of breeding stock), an accomplished pilot (mastered 38 different aircraft), Mayor of Mt. Croghan, SC for 20 years,  Director of Chesterfield/Marlboro County Economic Development Agency, Co-founder of Chesterfield Rural Water Company (Board Member-30 years), a member of the National Space Society and International Planetary Societies,  and a Full Colonel and Command Pilot in the USAF (30 years of service.)  Colonel Taylor saw military action in WWII,  the Korean War and the Vietnam War earning the Soldiers Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross,  Distinguished Service Award and The Commendation Medal.  Col. Taylor graduated from Clemson University with B.S.  degrees in both Agriculture and Aeronautics (Class of 1941). He subsequently graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Masters degree in Business and Accounting, the Old West Point of the Air, Army Corps for Pilots, Air Command and Staff College, Federal Staff College, and Industrial College of the Armed Services.  He was a true patriot with a pedigree of integrity, honesty and heart.

Col. Taylor was a joy to be around, well versed on almost any subject. He had a dry humor that would catch you off-guard and always brought out the best of any audience... one person at a time.  You never had any doubt  the Colonel was delighted to see you.   He was an Ambassador of Joy to everyone he encountered.  Colonel Taylor was worldly, distinguished, honorable, humble, kind, extremely generous and very wise.  He will be sorely missed by a large community that loved him.

A Celebration of Life Service for Col. James Oscar Taylor, Jr. will be held at 1:00 PM Saturday, January 6, 2018 at Mt. Croghan United Methodist Church by Rev. Sonny Hall, Rev. Kyle Henderson, Dr. Alan Arnold, and the eulogy delivered by his son, James O. Taylor, III. with burial to follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5:00 – 7:00 PM Friday, January 5, 2018 at Miller-Rivers-Caulder Funeral Home, 318 E. Main Street, Chesterfield, SC.

Memorials may be made to Mt. Croghan United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 26, Mt. Croghan, SC 29727.

Miller-Rivers-Caulder Funeral Home (www.mrcfuneralhome.com) is serving the Taylor family.