James Marshall Taylor

1929 - 2019

James Marshall Taylor, 89, of Savannah passed away June 18, 2019 under the care of Hospice, at home. Jim was born in Morganfield, Kentucky on December 13, 1929 to James Mansfield Taylor and Hester Louise Taylor (nee Marshall). He attended public schools in Morganfield, Sturgis and Louisville Kentucky. After high school, he worked at construction jobs and as a surveyor.

He was drafted in April, 1951 and after basic training at Fort Knox was assigned to Headquarters Battery, 68th Antiaircraft Group, Fort Richardson, Alaska. Upon discharge he went to work for the Louisville and Nashville Railroads where he became statistician in 1956 working there until 1963. He received a BS in Commerce and an MBA from the University of Louisville during this period. Jim met Pauline Kasper at the L & N in 1956 and they were married in 1959. In 1963 Jim accepted a position as statistician at Savannah Sugar Refining Company which would later become Savannah Foods. He occupied several positions before retiring as Senior Vice-President in 1992.

After retirement he became passionate about an old interest, the collection and taxonomy of insects, particularly moths. He was a member of the Lepidopterists Society, The Southern Lepidopterists and the Kentucky Society of Lepidopterists, serving several terms as president of the latter body. His collection of more than 3000 specimens is housed at McGuire Center, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville.

Jim was a lover of nature, logic, music, literature, poetry, golf and terrible jokes. He believed there was no situation which could not be improved upon by the recitation of an Ogden Nash poem and felt free to express that belief for anyone within earshot. Jim and Pauline traveled for many years with Elderhostels, always in pursuit of insects, knowledge and camaraderie with fellow Lepidopterists. When not traveling, they played golf at local courses, eventually moving to The Landings in 1982. Jim shot four holes in one in his lifetime, the most significant of which occurred at the AiIsa Championship Course, Turnberry, Scotland.

Jim is survived by his wife of 60 years, Pauline Kasper Taylor, sons, Chris Taylor (Sandi) of Savannah and Tim Taylor (Cindy) of Roswell, Georgia, five grandchildren; Ian Taylor (Amber) of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Lauren Taylor of Albany, Georgia, Marissa Taylor of Charlotte, North Carolina, Logan Taylor of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Sam Taylor of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Known to his Grandchildren as Pop, he was a voracious reader and for many years would shop for the perfect book for each family members birthday and Christmas, painstakingly wrapping each one with perfect 90-degree corners and equitable amounts of scotchtape. His influence is evident by his grandchildren's love of books, nature, science, and terrible, terrible jokes.

Many thanks to Dr. Robert Brown and Hospice of Savannah.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, June 21, 2019 at Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel. The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. prior to service.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice Savannah, Inc., P.O. Box 13190, Savannah, GA 31416, Wounded Warriors Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675-8517 or the Salvation Army, 3000 Bee Rd., Savannah, GA 31405.

Please sign our online guestbook at www.foxandweeks.com