Raymond Ross Taylor, 83, of Marquez, left this earth on Wednesday, November 2, 2022. Raymond was born to Charles Taylor and Buna Alene Morgan Taylor on September 25, 1939 in Franklin, Texas.

Raymond was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Alene Taylor, daughter Karen Eitson, son-in-law Len R Crowder, brothers William Charles Taylor, Robert Earl Taylor and Don Taylor, sisters Delores Taylor Cantrell and Ruby Taylor Dancer.

Raymond served in the United States Army attached to 146th Engineers Combat Battalion, Company B out of Fort Hood, Texas. He was a Veteran of the 1962 Cuban Crisis, "The Bay of Pigs Invasion".  After completion of his military service, he returned home and began working for GATX in Hearne, Texas. While employed   for GATX Raymond served as President of the local Steel Workers Union, something he was very passionate about. He retired from GATX after 30 years of employment.

Raymond was a skilled worker by birth and by choice. There was nothing he could not grow that was from the earth. He loved grafting different types of trees to adapt and create a new species that would grow two types of fruit instead of one. There was also not much he could not build with his hands. He could draft a set of plans to build straight from his head and configure measurements as well as any college graduate architect. Many of his children own pieces he created from his imagination.

Raymond was a "Freemason",  served as a member of the fraternal order of the Masonic Lodge, a Master Mason in Good Standing of Franklin Lodge, Patrick No. 359, Franklin, Texas, for over 50 years.  He was also a member of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, 32nd degree, Southern Jurisdiction USA.

He was a man of the outdoors; hunting, fishing and learning about the land, planting and harvesting, those were things he loved. Raymond believed we should go back to earlier times when we lived solely off the land and took from it only what we needed to live, putting back when we could for future generations. He enjoyed hunting with his son and grandchildren as much as anything in life.

He played the guitar and loved to pick and sing. Along with his love of music  came his love of dancing. One of his favorite things to do on a Saturday night was to go listen to artists at the New Baden Jamboree with friends. Raymond was blessed with a beautiful voice.

Raymond is survived by his loving wife, Cynthia. Siblings Jimmy Taylor and wife Linda, Roy Taylor and Rose Taylor Price. Sons Raymond Ross Taylor Jr. and wife Angelia, Richard Patke and wife Margaret, Lee Patke and wife Laura, Craig Patke and wife Jennifer. Daughters Sandra Taylor Bacon and husband Edward, Holli Taylor Johnson and husband Gary, Tamra Taylor Crowder, Johnna Arden.

Grandchildren Chelsea, Matthew, Rachel, Collin, Seth, Allison, Keith, Shane, Johnny, Daniel, Aaron, Haley, Stuart, Jessie, Christopher, Michaela, Rebecca, Elise, Grace, Tyler, Colton. Great Grandchildren Cole, Taylor, Kalan, Layton, Braden, Isabella, Zaria. Numerous nieces and nephews. Special friends Ruston Perkins, Diane Heil, Bill Mathis and Debra Lavender, Linda Tiner.

A private memorial service will be held at a later date attended by family and close friends, as he would have wanted. Raymond will be missed, but we will not linger in grief for he would consider it nonsense and a waste of time. We will be with him in the trees and places we have walked together in the country. We will hear his voice in the wind and see his face in the sun.

We would like to extend a special thank you to the staff of CHI St Joseph RHC Stroke Ward, staff of the Franklin Nursing Home, and the staff of Hospice Brazos Valley for their care and guidance at the end of Raymond's life on earth. Memorials may be made to Hospital Brazos Valley, 502 W. 26th Street. Bryan, Texas, 77803