Carl "Jay" Taylor, Jr.

Carl “Jay” Taylor, Jr. (1953- 2025)

Jay Taylor joined his Savior Jesus Christ early in the morning of July 29, 2025 in Belton, Texas, after a long, courageous battle with cancer. Jay was an intelligent, conservative, honest, organized, generous, and well-traveled gentleman who was accomplished in both his personal and business life.

Born in San Antonio, Texas, to Mr. Carl Jay Taylor, Sr. and Mrs. Mavis Graves Taylor, he attended Mac Arthur High School, graduating in 1971. He then enrolled at Southern Methodist University in Dallas where he earned a B.A. degree in Accounting in 1975. He was an active member of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity. He never married nor fathered any children but focused his time and passion on his family and friends and his accounting career at Elk/GAF, a building products manufacturer for over 30 years.

Jay was preceded in death by his grandparents, parents and a nephew, Rick Ratliff. Jay is survived by his sister, Jean Ratliff (Don Wesch), brother, William H. Carder, III (Donna Marie), his nieces, Rene’ Clark (Stuart), Tammy Lynn James (Scott), Debra Jean Moczygemba (Brian), nephew, Russell Ratliff, many great-nieces and great-nephews, best friends, Raymond and Peggy Schiflett and many, many close and wonderful friends.

He retired to expand his travel agenda but was curtailed by his having to take on his fight against cancer. During his life, Jay visited over 30 countries and was always looking to go somewhere new and exciting. He was on the cutting edge of audio and visual technology and combined the most amazing movie and sound systems that were always years ahead of their time. Naturally, he also was an avid movie and TV series aficionado with “Game of Thrones” and “Yellowstone” being his all-time favorite shows. He was an excellent blackjack and slots player (he hit 3 royal flushes) and enjoyed great food and top quality Blantons’ bourbons, from whose founders he was descended. He was able to move to a scenic residence with a view of the Pacific Ocean and Kona Coast at Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii after retirement. He loved the humpback whales and the frequent eruptions of the ever-active Kilauea volcano. Jay was effective, practical, and caring - all of which was wrapped in a dry sense of humor. A world traveler, he saw much, did much, and lived an extraordinary life.

A funeral and burial will be held at Chapel Hill Funeral Home and Memorial Park on 7735 Gibbs Sprawl Rd., San Antonio, Texas 78239 on Monday, August 4th beginning at 10 AM. A second, more casual, gathering to celebrate his life will be held in Dallas, Texas, at a date and time to be determined.