William Taylor

William Halliday ("Hal") Taylor, Jr., 82, passed away peacefully in his home in Friendswood the morning of June 26, 2015. Hal was born on September 20, 1932 in Cincinnati, Ohio to William Halliday Taylor and Betty Scudder Taylor. The family moved to Lake Bluff, Illinois when he was 3 years old. Hal married Gwendolyn ("Gwen") Helen McGrew on August 18, 1956 in North Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from Memphis State May of 1959 where he also played collegiate football for the Memphis State Tigers. Hal served in the Army as a MP during the Korean War. He was stationed in Fort Richardson, Alaska.

Hal came to Houston, Texas in November of 1962 to work with NASA. The family settled in Friendswood in 1966. He worked in the Apollo Program Office and the Orbiter Project Office eventually being promoted to Chief of Project Engineering. He retired from NASA in January 1993 but volunteered at Space Center Houston for several years afterwards.

He had a passion for sports officiating. He was a football official for 31 years and a softball umpire for 35 years. He hated to stop officiating but bad knees made the decision for him.

Hal was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Anne Scudder Seaman.

He is survived by his loving wife of almost 59 years, Gwen Taylor; his daughters, Dana Arp and husband Ronnie, Karen Taylor, Terri Pyryt and husband Chris; nephew George "Hank" Seaman; grandchildren, Sonja Garcia, Brandy Williams, Taylor Arp, Annie Pyryt and William Pyryt; great-grandchildren, Devon Garcia and Pete Perez; and many other relatives and cherished friends.

Hal will be remembered as a good man, a loyal friend and a devoted family man. He will be missed.

Friends are cordially invited to the visitation with the family on Saturday, July 25, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. with the memorial service to follow at 11:00 A.M. at the Jeter Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, 311 N. Friendswood Dr., Friendswood, TX 77546 (281) 992-7200 with Rev. Benny Thadathilkunnel officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Hal's honor to the Friendswood Volunteer Fire Department - EMS Division, 1000 S. Friendswood Dr., Friendswood, TX 77546 or Harbour Hospice Foundation, P.O. Box 21463, Beaumont, TX 77720-1463.

Condolences may be sent to the Taylor family in care of Jeter Memorial Funeral Home at www.jeterfuneralhome.com.