Robert D. Taylor, Iii

Robert ?Bob' D. Taylor III, 82, Johnson City, died Tuesday, September 4, 2018, at the Johnson City Medical Center. He was a Landsdowne, PA native who moved to Johnson City when he was ten years old. He was a son of the late Robert Downing Taylor Jr. and Marian Hunter Taylor. Bob was passionate about sports. As a student at Science Hill, he played football, basketball, and ran track. He was a proud recipient of the Player of the Year in Upper East Tennessee?s Big 5 Conference his senior year and inductee of Science Hill?s Hall of Fame. He also officiated football later in his life. After high school, Bob attended Vanderbilt University where he played football and ran track. He played in the Gator Bowl and was drafted by the Baltimore Colts. During his childhood, Bob was active in scouting and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. At Science Hill and Vanderbilt, he was active in ROTC and entered the Army after college. He served as a company commander at Ft. Ord California, and retired as a Captain in the reserves. Following the army, Bob began his career with PET dairy in Kingsport and Greeneville. He spent the largest part of his career in furniture manufacturing and sales. He was the Vice-President of Sales for Gordon Inc. for 20 years, then an executive at Carolina Table of Hickory, and he retired from Sherrill Furniture of Hickory. Bob travelled extensively in the U.S. and around the world for business but loved Johnson City and happily retired here in 2001. He was a talented furniture maker and woodworker in his own right. He loved to hunt and train his labrador retrievers and springer spaniels for bird hunting. He was the former president of the Johnson City Country Club and the Hurstleigh Club. Bob was an active member of St. John?s Episcopal Church, Johnson City, where he was an acolyte master and Sunday school teacher. Survivors include: his wife, Barbra Griffin Taylor, of the home; sons, Robert D. IV and Mary Taylor, and Bradley Griffin and Meike Taylor; grandchildren, Griffin, Sophia, and Heidi Taylor; brother, Edwin Hunter Taylor, and his wife, Dottie; niece, Carrie Taylor; and brother-in-law, Thomas L. Griffin. The funeral service for Bob Taylor will be conducted 1:30 pm Saturday, September 15, 2018 at St. John?s Episcopal Church. Reverend Canon SuzeAnne Silla will officiate. Honorary pallbearers will be: Chuck Gordon Jr., Dr. Stan Vermillion, Richard Pectol, Jim Hunter, David Williams, Jerry and Denis Brock, Will Yeiser, Jerry Medlin, George E. Oldham, Curt Bates, Judie Camack, Ruth Cobb Miller, Lewis Wexler, Louis Gump, Peggy Calvert, Felicia and Harrison Wexler, and Warner, Alan, and Andy Tweed. Following the funeral service, the family will host a reception in the church?s great hall. The family extends special thanks to Dr. Rick Rolen; Dr. Wayne Tongco, and his nurse Marcie; Dr. Kyle Colvett; and Dr. D. Jaishankar and his staff for their care for Bob. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Science Hill High School Athletic Dept., 1509 John Exum Pkwy., Johnson City, TN 37604 or Vanderbilt University Athletics, PMB 407727, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Nashville, TN 37240-7727.