Donald Walter Taylor, Jr.

AIKEN, SC -- Donald Walter Taylor, Jr., age 79, passed away on May 21, 2009 at MCG Hospital in Augusta, Ga. He was the oldest son of the late Donald Walter Taylor, Sr. and Para Lee Holland Taylor. Don attended NC State where he studied Civil Engineering and played football. He moved to Aiken County in October of 1951 to work on construction of the Savannah River Plant. He worked for DuPount for over 38 years and retired as a Senior Project Engineer. He also owned a business as a Registered Land Surveyor from 1961 to 2009. He was involved with Aiken County Land Surveyors, the SC Society of Land Surveyors, licensed as a State Fallout Shelter Analyst and Perculation Technician. He was a member of Millbrook Baptist Church. He served on the building committee of the W. James Rivers Educational Building, on the Counting Committee and was a member of the Chapel Class. He also taught Sunday School to youth and served as Deacon. Don loved to hunt and fish in his spare time and enjoyed time with his family. He is survived by his wife, Patricia Houwers Taylor, a daughter, Donelle (Bill) West, and two sons, Roger (Gaye) Taylor of Charlotte, NC and John (Lynn) Taylor of New Ellenton, step-daughter, Karen Marie (David) Mathis of Reidsville, NC and step-son, Keith (Juana) Craig of Columbia, Maryland. He also leaves his brothers, Charles (Jewel) Taylor Kenansville, NC and Ray (Alice) Taylor of Whiteville, NC and a sister, Virginia Ballard of FL. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Nelma Gibson Taylor and his brother, Harold Lee Taylor. The funeral service will be held Sunday at 2:00 PM in the chapel of Shellhouse – Rivers Funeral Home, 715 East Pine Log Rd., Aiken, SC, with The Rev. Chris Masters officiating. Interment will follow in Sunset Memory Gardens. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 PM Saturday at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Millbrook Baptist Church Missions Fund or Savannah River Cancer Foundation P.O. Box 3694 Aiken, SC 29802. Please visit the online registry at www.shellhouseriversfuneralhome.com . To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Donald Walter Taylor, Jr., please visit our flower store.