Randall Heal Taylor Sr.

Randall Heal Taylor, Sr. passed away, after fighting pneumonia, at Hilton Head Coastal Carolina Hospital, on December 29, 2021, with his loving family at his side.  Randall leaves his loving wife, Joyce; his son, Randall Jr.; his daughter-in-law Julianna; his sister, Norma Mitchell and brother, Orville (deceased). His cousin JoRhea Ford; nieces Elizabeth, Anne Leigh, Anne Virginia, Emma (deceased) and nephew, Robert.

Son to Orville C. Taylor and Emma Nora Heal Taylor, Randall was born on April 27, 1928, in Cape Charles, Virginia, and grew up in Norfolk.  He attended Maury High School, where he ran cross country track and delivered newspapers with his brother.

Randall spent 4 happy years at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia, getting his bachelor’s degree in Economics, where he graduated in 1950. During summers, Randall played professional saxophone and clarinet in the Earl Bennett Dance Orchestra with singer Keely Smith. After college, he joined the Marine Corpsp, completed Officer’s Candidacy School and served during the Korean Conflict until he was honorably discharged from active duty in 1954 as Major.  During his active duty, he coached the Navy Waves softball team at Memphis Naval Air Station. Randall then served in the Marine Corps Reserve until 1977. Randall accepted his first job out of the military at General Foods Corporation (now Kraft) in Hoboken, NJ, where he met his wife of 61 years, Joyce Foran.  Randall simultaneously earned his MBA from NYU at night while working.

After 12 years with General Foods, he accepted a position at Squibb in Manhattan (now Bristol-Myers Squibb), where he finished a 25 year illustrious career as Director of Administrative Services at World Headquarters in Princeton, NJ.

On May 21, 1960, Randall and Joyce were married at the Church of the Transfiguration in Tarrytown, NY. On March 25, 1971, their son, Randall, Jr., was born. With the love of his life, Joyce, he spent 20 years in the Larchmont Manor in Westchester County, NY. In 1983 they moved to Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, where Randall retired in 1989.  For the next several years Randall and Joyce traveled between their homes in Washington Crossing and Bluffton, SC.

At their home in Sun City Bluffton Randall’s lengthy retirement found him playing tennis, billiards and competitive croquet as well as traveling the World and visiting good friends, like his college roommate Jerry DeVere, with whom he was still friends.

Randall had once told Joyce when they first met that he would show her the World. Sixty-one years and 6 continents later, Randall had delivered on his promise. Veterans of 30+ cruises, including a 60-day Pacific Rim tour and multi transatlantic cruises Randall and Joyce even crossed into the Arctic Circle.

Randall also took great pleasure in sharing life's dreams with his only son and best friend, Randall Jr. Perhaps living vicariously through his son’s athletic pursuits, Randall Sr. attended games and even practices as often as he could. They were friends forever and would see each other every day during the final year of his life. In the uncertain times during the Pandemic, Randall, Sr took particular pride walking his future daughter-in-law down the aisle during a closed wedding ceremony in the absence of her family who live in Brazil. This was the last time he would be in a Catholic Church. The exact same chapel is where his funeral will be held.

A Catholic Mass will be celebrated on Friday January 28, 2022 at St. Andrew Chapel in Bluffton at 10:30 am.  At a later date, his cremated remains will be placed in the Memorial Garden at St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church.