Funeral services for James Milton Taylor, 86, of Greenville will be at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, May 16 at Boone Funeral Home, Greenville. He passed away peacefully after a long hard battle with cancer at his home on Saturday, May 12. Burial will be in the Greenville Cemetery under the direction of Boone Funeral Home, Greenville.
He was born on November 17, 1931 on the family farm near the Glen community in Alcorn County, MS. He graduated in 1949 from Corinth High School where he played football. He attended Vanderbilt University and Ole Miss prior to enlisting in the US Air Force in 1951. He was a Staff Sergeant and served as a General’s Aide in France until 1956.
On referral of the MS Employment office he moved to Greenville and began working for Universal CIT Credit as an adjuster. After a short stint he interviewed with Ray Smith, who he had worked with at CIT and who was then employed by First National Bank. He was hired to start work that day from the bottom up. During his banking career, he graduated from LSU School of Banking. He worked through multiple bank mergers, retiring as President of Sunburst Bank in 1995.
Milton was a member of South Main Church of Christ.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Raymond Milton Taylor and Vivian Lynn Stricklen Taylor and his sister, Wanda Taylor Prichard. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Agnes Williams Taylor, two daughters, Joanna Lynn Taylor of Fayetteville, AR, and Karen Taylor Wallace of Jackson and grandson, William Taylor Wallace of Jackson.
There will be a visitation one hour prior to services at the funeral home. The service will be officated by David Grimm, Agnes and Milton’s nephew and special remarks will be made by Frank Smith. Honorary Pallbearers will be Noel Williams, N. H. Williams, Bryan Williams, Bill Gordon, Wendell Shirley, Hob Sanderson, Richard Jackson, Bill Burns, Jimmy Word and Victor Smith.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.