David L. Taylor

David Taylor passed away on December 9, 2023, in Gainesville, with his loving family by his side.

He was born on October 8, 1929 in Mexia, Texas to Jasper Newton and Laura Charlotte (Hugg) Taylor.  David graduated from high school in New London, Texas.  The summer between his Junior and Senior year, he enrolled in North Texas State (now known as University of North Texas) in Denton.  A music scout from UNT heard about a young man at New London High School with an outstanding voice.  After auditioning, he was offered a four-year voice scholarship.  He started voice lessons that summer and returned home to complete his senior year.  While at UNT he sang in several operas.  Some required him to sing in French, German and Italian.  At the time of David’s death, he could still sing portions of those operas.  During this time, he sang in some of the Dallas Summer musicals.  He has sung on stage with Pat Boone, Shirley Jones, Burgess Meredith and Maria Callas.  His education was interrupted the last semester of his senior year when he was drafted into the Army during the Korean Conflict.  He served three years and was honorably discharged.

For several years, David was staff soloist for radio station WFAA, Dallas, Texas where his audience numbered into the thousands.  He has been featured on nationwide television in the first dramatization of Handel’s Messiah presented at First Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas.  David also sang one year at the Southern Baptist Convention and sang in a quartet at a Billy Graham Crusade in Memphis, Tennessee.  Even though he was offered a scholarship to Juilliard School of Music, he declined and pursued a different career that allowed him to use his talent in singing praises to his Lord.

He continued his education at UNT and earned a B.S. and an M.S. in Science and began his teaching career at Whitesboro Middle School.  He taught there three years and then came to Gainesville Middle School and taught for thirty years.  David made science fun and was an enthusiastic teacher.  He touched many lives and until his death, former students would see him and thank him.  David served as Minister of Music at Temple Baptist Church, Gainesville, Texas for 40 years, drove a school bus and taught Driver’s Education, all while teaching.

One Sunday morning in August 1963, David met the one true love of his life, Dona Craig.  She had moved from Arkansas to Callisburg to teach Business classes at Callisburg High School.  She visited Temple Baptist Church and the first person she met was David.  A romance bloomed and they were married July 25th, 1964.  They celebrated 59 years of marriage this year.  Their home was blessed with two wonderful children, Kristin Laura Freeman and Craig Newton Taylor.  David thought he could never love anyone as much as Dona, Kristin and Craig, but when his four grandchildren were born, he quickly changed his mind.  He has twin granddaughters, Alexandria Taylor, Carolyne (Taylor) Sheffield, grandsons, Taylor and Thomas Freeman.  David was “Pop” to them and was his favorite title.  They brought so much love and pride!  He tried to attend as many of their school activities as possible, even if it meant traveling long distances in Texas, Oklahoma and Minnesota.

David was preceded in death by his parents Jasper and Laura Taylor, his in-laws Homer and Florice Craig, brothers, J. N. and Troy Taylor and wife Vee, sister Helen Kinnaird and husband John and brother-in-law Ray Turnage.

He leaves behind his beloved wife of 59 years, Dona, his daughter Kristin and husband James of Dundas, MN, son Craig of Rowlette, TX, granddaughter Carolyne and Dakota Sheffield (TX), Alexandria Taylor (fiancée John) (TX), grandsons, Taylor Freeman (MN), and Thomas Freeman (MN) and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, December 15, 2023 at Temple Baptist Church (Sanctuary), Gainesville.  Visitation will be from 1:30 – 2:30 p.m., followed by the memorial service at 2:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to American Heart Association or a charity of your choice.

If an arrangement is ordered, please request that it be delivered directly to Temple Baptist Church.

Please place flower orders directly through a local florist.

https://www.geojcarroll.com/florists