Larry Joe Taylor

Larry Joe Taylor, 87, passed away peacefully at his home in Morgan County, GA on February

17, 2026.

Larry was born March 27, 1938 in Asheboro, NC. He was brought home to the family farm in

Denton, NC. where he spent his childhood raising chickens and cows and learning about

tractors, steam engines, and helping run the family saw mill. Larry graduated as salutatorian of

Denton High School’s Class of ’56 and went on to earn a BS in Mechanical Engineering from

N.C. State in 1960.

After graduation, he was commissioned as a 2nd LT in the Air Force via the ROTC program and

upon earning his wings, selected C-130’s as his primary platform. After 4 years of active duty he

transitioned to F-102’s in the Louisiana Air National Guard based in New Orleans while

beginning his career with Delta Airlines. He retired from Delta after 32 years as an International

L10-11 Captain, amassing over 27,000 flight hours.

Following his retirement from Delta, Larry’s love of aviation led him and Joan to fly their WWII

trainer, (Stearman biplane) round trip from their farm and grass airstrip to San Diego, Maine,

and various other aviation attractions. He was especially fond of giving airplane rides from the

grass strip which had quickly replaced a cotton field on the farm. Friends, relatives - almost any

willing passenger was welcome for a brief ride - or even, an occasional loop or roll for those who

dared, he was more than willing to oblige. Once the children left home, Larry grew tired of

fixing fences and chasing cows, and his interest in antique airplanes continued to grow.

Children and relatives spread across the nation presented excuses for trips to North Carolina,

Florida, Louisiana, California, Maine, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Oklahoma. Any place

with a grass runway was especially appealing to him. He never grew tired of the attraction that

the sound of that round engine seemed to have for WWII vets who were almost guaranteed to

appear at those smaller airports with stories of the last time they saw an open cockpit plane on

their runway.

Larry maintained close ties to his roots as well as he ran a steam powered sawmill for 30 years

at the Southeast Old Thresher’s Reunion in Denton, NC. He loved living in the jet age while still

volunteering to demonstrate steam power as a way to educate all who were interested in the

ways of the past.

While Larry was flying for Delta from New Orleans, a blind date at a rodeo in May of 1968

introduced him to Joan Schaller. They married that December 28th and bought the farm in

Georgia three months later. It was on that farm where he would gently pass away surrounded

by family after 58 years of marriage.

Larry is preceded in death by his parents Jesse Caswell Taylor and Ethel Elliott Taylor, his

brother Caswell Leonidis Taylor, and his grandson Jackson Wellington Hatfield.

He is survived by his wife, Joan Schaller Taylor, daughter Amanda (Mike) Hatfield and their

children, Katherine Jane Hatfield, and Jeb Thomas Hatfield, his son Matthew (Candace) Taylor and their children, Jocelyn McKenzie Taylor and Maxwell James Taylor, and his son Benjamin

(Anna Greta) Taylor and their children, Benjamin Caswell Taylor, Mary Ella Anne Taylor, and

Abigail Grace Taylor, his sister Angeline Taylor (William) Mills, and their children Taylor Mills and

Lou Ellen Mills.

A graveyard service and reception will be held on February 23rd at 4 PM at Lineberry United

Methodist Church in Denton, NC. A celebration of life will be held on March 14th at Bostwick

United Methodist Church in Bostwick, GA with a reception to follow at Taylor Farm.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Jack Hatfield Memorial Scholarship.

Donations can be made at BSH Knights, (please specify Larry’s name) or they can be mailed to:

Jack Hatfield Memorial Scholarship Fund

The Blessed Sacrament Huguenot School

2501 Academy Road

Powhatan, VA 23139

Briggs Funeral Home in Denton is handling local arrangements. The family was also assisted by A.E. Carter Funeral Home in Madison, GA.