Obituary of Tommy Taylor

Thomas “Tommy” Byron Taylor, of Ladson, South Carolina, 82 year old, entered into eternal rest  on Friday, March 26, 2021.  His loving wife Gayle C. Taylor was at his side.  The memorial service is set for April 9, 2021 at 10:00 am at Simplicity in Ladson, but due to Covid restrictions, a limited number are allowed.

Tommy was born on January 16, 1939 in Canton, Massachusetts, the son of Mary Elizabeth Allen and Nathanial Hapgood Taylor.   He is survived by his wife, Gayle C. Taylor and children Thomas Taylor Jr and Ron Powell (Shawna), his grandchildren, Rebecca Powell, Kaitlyn Powell, Andrew Demko, William Demko, Cindy Boatright and  Mary Foster .   He has four brothers and three sisters, Nathanial Allen (Theresa) Taylor or Orlando, Florida; Ronald Lee Taylor (Iola) of Charleston; Marianne Taylor of Charleston; Elizabeth Armando, Charleston; Michael Taylor of Cross; and Thelma Sullivan (Julian Porter) of Charleston.  He also has many, many nieces and nephews who all loved their Uncle Tommy. 

Tommy came to Charleston in 1945 with his parents.  He attended school here and graduated from Murray Vocational School in 1956.  He joined and served in the Army and Army reserves from 1957 to 1964.   Throughout his life he worked primarily as a welder/pipefitter, working in the 2nd largest refinery in the world, and also in Georgia, Louisiana and all over the southeast, including the Charleston Naval Shipyard.  He then opened a shop where he made handmade doll houses.  He retired and began his fun life in retirement.   He married Gayle Cochrane Powell in 1974 and they raised the boys here in Charleston and shared a wonderful life together.   He had a great love of racing, gardening, wood working, animals, trains, baking cakes and taking pictures.  He was always seen with a camera over his shoulder.  He also loved to go to Darlington and watch one of his nephews race.

He will be remembered for his kind heart, his smirk, and the jokester that he was. 

He is preceded in death by his parents, a daughter, Susan Taylor Demko, his brother, Edward Henry Taylor, sister in law Bonnie Taylor, brothers-in-law Dan Sullivan and Billy Armando, and a nephew, Timothy Newsome.