Richard Raleigh Taylor Jr.

Richard Raleigh Taylor Jr., 83, of Johnson City, passed away on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, at his home. He was a beloved husband, caring father, cherished grandfather and dear friend.

He was born in 1937 in Decatur, Illinois, a son of the late Richard Taylor Sr. and Leanore Beckett Taylor.

Mr. Taylor graduated from Bradley University in 1961, before starting a long and varied worklife.

He started in the institutional meat supply business in central Illinois, joining his family business, Eastern Packing Company (later merged into Kaufman Eastern Packing Company). He finished his career in that field as an employee of Swift & Company, Hotel and Restaurant Division. After that, he worked the next 12 years as an Air Traffic Controller in Jacksonville, Florida, and was a proud member of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization. In 1981, he undertook training to become a registered respiratory therapist, retiring in 2000 from Tampa General Hospital.

One of the things that Mr. Taylor was most proud of was his work as the director of CardioStart, an organization that furnishes cardiac surgery, supplies, and training to third world countries. Much of his expertise helped those in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Peru.

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his sister, Patricia McDougal.

Those surviving include his wife, Blanca Patty Vaides Martinez Taylor; two children, Richard R. Taylor III and his wife Vicki of Colorado, Lorraine Luby and her husband Dan of Missouri; fourteen grandchildren, Jeremiah, Jessica, Jonathan, Faith, Tabitha, Richard IV, Joel, Hannah, Larisa, Vanessa, Ben, Brandon, Weston, and Kyle; twenty nine great-grandchildren; brother-in-law, Harry “Mac” McDougal; special nieces and nephews; many friends; his church family; and the extended family in Guatemala who welcomed him as their own in his marriage.

In lieu of a graveside service, a committal ceremony will be held for Mr. Taylor at 2:00 PM on Friday, July 2, 2021, in the Morris-Baker Funeral Home Oak Chapel. Those attending are asked to gather between 1:30 PM and the beginning of service.