02/19/2026
Larry Joe Taylor
Larry Joe Taylor, 87, passed away peacefully at his home in Morgan County, GA on February
17, 2026.
Larry was born March 27, 1938 in Asheboro, NC. He was brought home to the family farm in
Denton, NC. where he spent his childhood raising chickens and cows and learning about
tractors, steam engines, and helping run the family saw mill. Larry graduated as salutatorian of
Denton High School’s Class of ’56 and went on to earn a BS in Mechanical Engineering from
N.C. State in 1960.
After graduation, he was commissioned as a 2nd LT in the Air Force via the ROTC program and
upon earning his wings, selected C-130’s as his primary platform. After 4 years of active duty he
transitioned to F-102’s in the Louisiana Air National Guard based in New Orleans while
beginning his career with Delta Airlines. He retired from Delta after 32 years as an International
L10-11 Captain, amassing over 27,000 flight hours.
Following his retirement from Delta, Larry’s love of aviation led him and Joan to fly their WWII
trainer, (Stearman biplane) round trip from their farm and grass airstrip to San Diego, Maine,
and various other aviation attractions. He was especially fond of giving airplane rides from the
grass strip which had quickly replaced a cotton field on the farm. Friends, relatives - almost any
willing passenger was welcome for a brief ride - or even, an occasional loop or roll for those who
dared, he was more than willing to oblige. Once the children left home, Larry grew tired of
fixing fences and chasing cows, and his interest in antique airplanes continued to grow.
Children and relatives spread across the nation presented excuses for trips to North Carolina,
Florida, Louisiana, California, Maine, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Oklahoma. Any place
with a grass runway was especially appealing to him. He never grew tired of the attraction that
the sound of that round engine seemed to have for WWII vets who were almost guaranteed to
appear at those smaller airports with stories of the last time they saw an open cockpit plane on
their runway.
Larry maintained close ties to his roots as well as he ran a steam powered sawmill for 30 years
at the Southeast Old Thresher’s Reunion in Denton, NC. He loved living in the jet age while still
volunteering to demonstrate steam power as a way to educate all who were interested in the
ways of the past.
While Larry was flying for Delta from New Orleans, a blind date at a rodeo in May of 1968
introduced him to Joan Schaller. They married that December 28th and bought the farm in
Georgia three months later. It was on that farm where he would gently pass away surrounded
by family after 58 years of marriage.
Larry is preceded in death by his parents Jesse Caswell Taylor and Ethel Elliott Taylor, his
brother Caswell Leonidis Taylor, and his grandson Jackson Wellington Hatfield.
He is survived by his wife, Joan Schaller Taylor, daughter Amanda (Mike) Hatfield and their
children, Katherine Jane Hatfield, and Jeb Thomas Hatfield, his son Matthew (Candace) Taylor and their children, Jocelyn McKenzie Taylor and Maxwell James Taylor, and his son Benjamin
(Anna Greta) Taylor and their children, Benjamin Caswell Taylor, Mary Ella Anne Taylor, and
Abigail Grace Taylor, his sister Angeline Taylor (William) Mills, and their children Taylor Mills and
Lou Ellen Mills.
A graveyard service and reception will be held on February 23rd at 4 PM at Lineberry United
Methodist Church in Denton, NC. A celebration of life will be held on March 14th at Bostwick
United Methodist Church in Bostwick, GA with a reception to follow at Taylor Farm.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Jack Hatfield Memorial Scholarship.
Donations can be made at BSH Knights, (please specify Larry’s name) or they can be mailed to:
Jack Hatfield Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Blessed Sacrament Huguenot School
2501 Academy Road
Powhatan, VA 23139
Briggs Funeral Home in Denton is handling local arrangements. The family was also assisted by A.E. Carter Funeral Home in Madison, GA.
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