Robert Alexander Taylor Jr., 83, Plantersville, Miss.
Obituaries · November 13, 2014
Robert Alexander Taylor Jr., 83, of Plantersville, Miss., died Sunday, Nov. 2, 2014, at Mississippi State Veterans Home in Oxford after an extended illness.
He was born Feb. 21, 1931, in Long Beach, Calif., to Robert A. Taylor Sr. and Stella Myers Taylor. He served in the U.S. Army as a first sergeant in the armored cavalry and was a veteran of the Korean War, where he received a purple heart.
Robert moved to Missoula, Mont., where he earned his bachelors and his master’s degrees in wildlife technology. He used his love of the outdoors and hunting both for his education and to provide for his family. Robert worked 20 years in the U.S. Forest Service serving in Alturas, Calif., and Port Angeles, Wash. He also worked at Cape Cod National Seashore in Eastham, Mass., where he was a park naturalist, designing and building a boardwalk through the Red Maple swamp. Other postings included Yellowtail National Reservoir in Montana where he helped preserve one of the most important buffalo jump sites in the country, and at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in West Branch, Iowa, where he created and implemented the living history program, including teaching himself the art of blacksmithing. Robert moved to Plantersville, where found self-employment in the stump-grinding business and spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ to those he served. He often provided his services free of charge.
Robert was preceded in death by his parents and his younger sister, Patricia Yaworsky of Gainesville, Va.
He is survived by his wife, Delores; his children, Pamela Billman (Troy) of Evansville, Ind., Melanie Bennett (David) of Bothell, W.V., Charles Taylor of Billings, Mont., Debbie Adcock (David) of Nettleton, Miss., Michael Vaughn of Plantersville, Miss., Victoria McClellan of Nettleton, Miss., David Vaughn (Vickie) of Kennasaw, Ga., Patty Grass (Robert) of Tupelo, Miss., and Patrick Vaughn of Tupelo, Miss.; brother Donald Taylor and nephew Kent Taylor, both of Portland, Ore.; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Memorial services were held at the National Cemetery in Corinth Nov. 7. In honor of Mr. Taylor, the cemetery will fly the flag of the U.S. Army and perform a 21-gun salute at the graveside service.
Glenfield Funeral Home, New Albany, is assisting the family.
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