Don Lewis Taylor, Jr. Age 80 Mims, FL

Don Lewis Taylor, Jr., passed away peacefully after a prolonged illness on November 29, 2025. He was born in Albuquerque, NM, on November 30, 1944, to Marjorie and Don Taylor. From 7th grade through 12th grade, Don lived in Bartow, FL, and graduated from Bartow High School in 1962. After serving for four years in the United States Air Force, he received his B.S. degree in electrical engineering in 1970 and his M.A. degree in electrical engineering in 1971, both from University of South Florida in Tampa. He was employed by Texas Instruments, McDonnell Douglas, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during the course of his career. He was with NASA at Cape Canaveral at the time of his retirement in 1999. He was married to Charlotte Rewis Taylor for 54 years. After retirement, and every summer until 2019, they traveled the US and Canada camping, hiking, fishing, and kayaking along the way. Also included in their travels were visits to the Yukon and Alaska, many visits to Europe, and a six-week safari to Africa. He loved working with his hands and made several beautiful pieces of furniture. Don is preceded in death by his wife, Charlotte, and his parents. He is lovingly remembered by his sister Susan Taylor Barfield (Ormond Beach, FL), his sister Linda Taylor Nichols (Greenville, SC), and a host of loving family members and friends. A private homegoing for family and friends will be held in 2026 after the first of the year.