Ronald W Taylor

Ronald (Ron) W. Taylor, age 90, of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 4, 2025, at the Ben Atchley Veterans Home, surrounded by family, after an extended illness. Ron was born in 1935 and moved to Oak Ridge in the early 1940s with his parents when his father was reassigned to work on the Manhattan Project during World War II.
He lived in Oak Ridge for more than 80 years and was a proud 1953 graduate of Oak Ridge High School (ORHS). A talented runner, he competed on the ORHS track team and went on to attend the University of Tennessee-Knoxville on a track scholarship, later graduating as a proud UTK alumnus. His lifelong love for track and field continued well beyond his student years. Ron served as an assistant coach for the ORHS track team, helping lead them to a state championship in 1958. He went on to serve as an official track starter for ORHS meets, UTK meets, and high school regional, state and NCAA meets.
As track starter at ORHS and UTK for more than a decade, Ron took pride in the vital role of ensuring fairness and excellence in competition, remaining involved in the sport he loved throughout his life. Ron also served his country with honor as a U.S. Army veteran, achieving the rank of colonel. He completed active duty at Fort Knox and continued his service in the U.S. Army Reserves. In his professional career, Ron worked at K-25, Y-12, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where he retired as Director of Advanced Computing and Information Security. In addition to his professional accomplishments, he was deeply engaged in the Oak Ridge community. He served on numerous boards, volunteered with many local organizations, and was elected to the Oak Ridge Schools Board of Education, serving as Chair from 1973–1977.
He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Oak Ridge. Ron was a devoted supporter of public education, inspired both by his wife Carol's many years of teaching in Oak Ridge Schools and by the opportunities the schools provided for his family. He was a strong believer in the power of education to shape lives.
Ron was preceded in death by his parents, Hobert and Virginia Taylor, and by his daughter, Catherine Lynn Taylor.
He is survived by his loving wife, Christina Carol Taylor; his son, Michael Taylor (Julie Mills Taylor) of Kingston, TN; grandchildren, Mills Taylor, Madeline Taylor, and Luke Taylor of Kingston, TN; and his sister, Sue Taylor Ketola of Oklahoma City, OK.
The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the staff and nursing team at the Ben Atchley Veterans Home and Hospice for their exceptional care and compassion.
A receiving of family and friends will be held Tuesday, September 9, 2025, at 4:00 p.m., followed by a memorial service at 5:00 at Calvary Baptist Church, 163 North Jefferson Circle, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. A graveside service will take place on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Oak Ridge Memorial Park, 1501 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37831.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Ron's memory to the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation (ORPSEF), 304 New York Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, or online at www.orpsef.org. These gifts will support Oak Ridge Schools and provide opportunities for students, continuing Ron's legacy of commitment to public education.