1923
Jay
2012
Jay R. Taylor
July 30, 1923 — July 19, 2012
Jay “J. R.” Taylor, age 88, died Thursday, July 19, 2012, in Amarillo, Texas.
Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, July 24, in First Presbyterian Church with Dr. Murray Gossett officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6 - 7:00 p.m., Monday, July 23. Arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 S. Georgia.
J. R. grew up farming with his father and brother Carl in Walters OK. He started college at OK State, but went into the army for WWII before he could finish. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge, earning the Bronze Star. He made it back healthy and whole, and finished school at OSU.
He married Jean Wyatt upon his return, and they built their first house near Walters(out of an abandoned church). His Uncle (Jay L Taylor) brought him to Amarillo around 1950 with a job at the Amarillo Livestock Auction. They gave their house to Jean’s parents and moved to Amarillo. He started out feeding cattle hay from horse drawn wagons and stayed for over 35 years. He became a partner and the general manager of the Auction and Western Stockyards and proceeded, with the help of the wonderful people who worked there, to build the Auction to its biggest weekly sales ever (some over 25,000 head in a single week) before its sale to others in 1985. He continued to participate as an advisor and worked part-time at the sale counter of the Auction until about 2006.
During his years at the Auction he worked on several state commissions and also was active in Amarillo’s Tri-State Fair organization.
He spoke of the crew and customers (some who were quite colorful) at the Auction and Stockyards with great respect and regard to the end of his days.
He loved to hunt quail with his friends on Amarillo area ranches and enjoyed golfing at ACC, a bit later when he couldn’t hike well enough to enjoy hunting.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Jean Wyatt Taylor; brother, Carl Taylor; sisters, Wynemea and Bob-Ann Taylor.
Survivors include devoted friends and companions, Johnny and Dorothy Graves and Rosemary Roach; son and daughter-in-law Jay Robert Taylor Jr. and Caryn O’Brien Taylor; grandchildren; Jay Robert Taylor III and Leslie Marie Taylor; great grandchild; Jay Robert Taylor IV (Bobby); nieces; Rhonda, Jean-Ann, and Rebecca Adkins and Martha Taylor; nephews; Jim Taylor and Bob Adkins
Memorials may be sent to First Presbyterian Church, 1100 S Harrison, Amarillo, TX 79101.
Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, July 24, in First Presbyterian Church with Dr. Murray Gossett officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6 - 7:00 p.m., Monday, July 23. Arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 S. Georgia.
J. R. grew up farming with his father and brother Carl in Walters OK. He started college at OK State, but went into the army for WWII before he could finish. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge, earning the Bronze Star. He made it back healthy and whole, and finished school at OSU.
He married Jean Wyatt upon his return, and they built their first house near Walters(out of an abandoned church). His Uncle (Jay L Taylor) brought him to Amarillo around 1950 with a job at the Amarillo Livestock Auction. They gave their house to Jean’s parents and moved to Amarillo. He started out feeding cattle hay from horse drawn wagons and stayed for over 35 years. He became a partner and the general manager of the Auction and Western Stockyards and proceeded, with the help of the wonderful people who worked there, to build the Auction to its biggest weekly sales ever (some over 25,000 head in a single week) before its sale to others in 1985. He continued to participate as an advisor and worked part-time at the sale counter of the Auction until about 2006.
During his years at the Auction he worked on several state commissions and also was active in Amarillo’s Tri-State Fair organization.
He spoke of the crew and customers (some who were quite colorful) at the Auction and Stockyards with great respect and regard to the end of his days.
He loved to hunt quail with his friends on Amarillo area ranches and enjoyed golfing at ACC, a bit later when he couldn’t hike well enough to enjoy hunting.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Jean Wyatt Taylor; brother, Carl Taylor; sisters, Wynemea and Bob-Ann Taylor.
Survivors include devoted friends and companions, Johnny and Dorothy Graves and Rosemary Roach; son and daughter-in-law Jay Robert Taylor Jr. and Caryn O’Brien Taylor; grandchildren; Jay Robert Taylor III and Leslie Marie Taylor; great grandchild; Jay Robert Taylor IV (Bobby); nieces; Rhonda, Jean-Ann, and Rebecca Adkins and Martha Taylor; nephews; Jim Taylor and Bob Adkins
Memorials may be sent to First Presbyterian Church, 1100 S Harrison, Amarillo, TX 79101.
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