Desmond Michael John Taylor

1942 - 2025

Desmond Michael John Taylor
04/06/1942 - 09/18/2025
Desmond Michael John Taylor, age 83, died on September 18, 2025. Desmond was born on April 6, 1942, in Epsom, Surrey, England.
Desmond is survived by his wife, Laura-Hill Hughes Taylor and sons, Duncan Michael Edward Taylor, and Phillip Malcolm John Taylor. Also, Duncan's wife, Paula Marie McKinley Taylor, and grandson, Frederick Oswald Charles Taylor.
Desmond served in the Royal Air Force for 10 years as a radio specialist and after separating from the RAF, he studied business at Northeast Surrey College. He worked for several years with insurance agencies in England and eventually started his own business as an entrepreneur brokering business opportunities.
In April 1979, while in the United States on a rugby tour, Desmond met the love of his life, Laura-Hill Hughes, through a blind date arranged by mutual friends he had met in London. Desmond and Laura-Hill were together for 7 days in April before he returned to England and in August 1979 Laura-Hill went to London on a vacation that had been planned long before having met Desmond. In October 1979, Desmond wrote Laura-Hill's parents asking permission to marry her and he arrived in Houston in May 1980 – 5 weeks before the wedding. They were married 45 years.
In Houston, Desmond worked as a marketing director for International Profit Associates, Transworld Systems, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Desmond loved gardening and for years tried to grow a classic English rose garden, but it never worked in the Houston heat. He and Laura-Hill loved attending the Houston Symphony, the Alley Theatre, and the Houston Grand Opera. They also enjoyed going to their ranch in Fayette County.
After becoming a U.S. citizen in 1999, he turned his interests to economics and politics and he was very active at a grassroots level helping get conservative candidates elected. He didn't just talk about politics (which he definitely did), but he got out and worked. Over the years, he block-walked over 80,000 houses. In addition to politics, Desmond enjoyed traveling with his family. They took wonderful trips to England, Europe, Canada and around the United States.
When he asked Laura-Hill to marry him, she asked him if he wanted children. In typical British fashion he responded, "I don't know. I haven't thought about it, but it sounds like rather a nice idea." Laura-Hill took that as a yes and his sons, Duncan and Phillip were true joys in his life. He was a wonderful father.
The family thanks all the staff at The Forum at Memorial Woods and Divinity Hospice for the wonderful care they provided Desmond.
A memorial service in celebration of Desmond's life, will be held at 1:00 p.m., on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 3816 Bellaire Blvd., Houston 77025, where the Rev Patrick Miller is to officiate.
Immediately following, all are invited to a reception in St. Mark's Hauser Hall.
In lieu of customary remembrances, contributions in Desmond's memory may be made to the charity of one's choice.