Fred Ray Taylor Jr.

Fred Ray Taylor, Jr was born November 22, 1930 in Marlow, Oklahoma and reunited with our beautiful mama in Heaven February 12, 2025 having attained the age of 94+ years. He grew up on a farm in Oklahoma, entering into the Army in 1952. He became a pen pal to Netha Newman and they married September 21, 1954. They were married 68 years before she passed away in October 2022. Numerous deployments and change of stations didn’t stop them from having a large family. They had seven children within 10 years, all in different states/countries. He did a couple of stints in Vietnam and finally retired in 1974. Afterward he worked for some time with Civil Service and then as a contract employee at Fort Leonard Wood. Prior to retiring, he took some courses in cabinetry and learned to pour concrete. He would make pieces of furniture and always tried to figure out how to make a secret compartment within the piece. We’ll never find all the secret places he had in his shop! His passion was pouring concrete (yeah, we know it’s weird). He had sidewalks that led to nowhere and concrete pads in the weirdest places. He always etched the names of his wife, children and grandchildren into the final product. Dad loved a good nap. As a family we’d often go fishing. Mom would wrangle all of us kids and help get our lines in the water and dad would put the biggest, fattest worm on his hook, throw it as far out as possible, then sit in his comfy folding chair with his hat pulled over his eyes. When it was time to go home hours later, he’d reel his line in, lament the fact that he didn’t catch anything and drive us all home. He tried to stay as active as possible but after our mom passed away, he couldn’t get around as much due to health issues. He still drove around town and lived on his own. He had many days where he ate sardines and crackers (gross), and he learned how to cook his own cornbread. He was always looking for someone to make him chicken and dumplings the way mama did. He was always quite ornery and a bit of a jokester. One thing we will miss is his low, gravelly chuckle when he thought he was pulling one over on someone. Our dad is survived by a bunch of children and grandchildren: Danny, of Dallas, GA Gerald (aka Tom), Curtis and Mike of St. Robert; Deb Savoie (Bill) of Fort Myers, FL; and Steve (Chong Ae) of Clarksville, TN. His six grandsons: Brett (Sarah) Basford, Cody (Michele) Basford, Tim (Kiara) Taylor, Geoff (Jasmine) Taylor, Jared Taylor and Fred (Kayla) Taylor. Great grandchildren Huck, Ophelia and Lincoln; Archer, Katherine and Marri; Ayden and Thaddeus; Eliana and Emilia; and Isabella, Victoria, Helen and Alondra. He is also survived by his sisters Kathaleen (Bob) Simmons of Hernando, MS and Elizabeth Ford of Duncan OK and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife Netha, oldest son Donny Taylor, and brothers Ervin, Bert, Pinky and Charles. We miss you so much dad but take comfort in knowing you’re with mama now, hopefully enjoying some chicken and dumplings and having your endless political discussions with Don. We love you to the moon and back. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, March 13, 2025 in the Memorial Chapels and Crematory of Waynesville / St. Robert. Burial with military honors will follow in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery of Waynesville, MO. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Memorial Chapels and Crematory of Waynesville / St. Robert. Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until time of services at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, March 13, 2025 in the Memorial Chapels and Crematory of Waynesville / St. Robert. Memorial contributions may be made in memory of Fred Taylor and may be left at Memorial Chapels and Crematory of Waynesville / St. Robert.

Fred Ray Taylor Jr.

November 22, 1930 - February 12, 2025