James Keith Taylor

Tribute

James Keith Taylor, age 85, passed away peacefully on July 10, 2022.  He was born on October 30, 1936, in Greer, South Carolina to his parents, James Thomas and Martha Elizabeth (Moore) Taylor.  He was a 1955 graduate of Richmond County High School in Augusta, Georgia.  After high school, he worked as a welder with his father until he joined the Airforce in 1960. He worked as an EWO officer and was stationed at Keesler AFB, Shaw AFB, Takhli Royal Thai AFB (where he served during the Vietnam Conflict), Ramstein AFB, and Eglin AFB.  While stationed at Eglin AFB, he received his B.S. in Management from UWF and retired from the Airforce after 20 years of service with the rank of Major.  He returned to welding and worked offshore in the Gulf of Mexico and at Range Services on Eglin AFB for the next 20 years.

James was happily married to his wife, Pamela Kay (Waterman) Taylor for 52 years.  They met at Ramstein AFB when she was there visiting her sister after graduating from college.  It was love at first sight and they became engaged before she returned home to begin her teaching career in Salem, New Hampshire.  They married at Ramstein AFB on February 14, 1970, and went on to have three children together.

James is predeceased by his parents, sister Evelyn (Taylor) Temples, and brother John Taylor.

He is survived by his wife Pamela Taylor, his children Terri Taylor, Jason Taylor, Wes Taylor (Susan Taylor), and Jennifer Hastings (Tyler Hastings), and his grandchildren William, Zoey, and Natalie.

A funeral service will be conducted on July 19th at 12:00 at McLaughlin Twin Cities Funeral Home.  The family will receive visitors one hour prior to the service.  Interment will take place at Heritage Gardens at 1:00. A reception will be held at Crosspoint United Methodist Church Niceville at 2:15.

Memorial donations, in lieu of flowers, may be made to The American Cancer Society, Crosspoint United Methodist Church, or the charity of your choice.  Expressions of love and sympathy may be placed online at www.mclaughlinmortuary.com.