Hundreds say goodbye to “iconic” Porcher Taylor
PETERSBURG – Petersburg said goodbye on Saturday to a man remembered not only for his military heroism but also for his love of his family and city, his faith and his “youthful precocity.”
Several hundred people attended the service for retired Col. Porcher L. Taylor Jr. at Good Shepherd Baptist Church on South Crater Road on Saturday afternoon. One by one, speakers praised Taylor as the embodiment of service – whether it was being part of three wars or for not standing idly by but making a difference in his community.
“He was never just a name on the list,” said former Petersburg mayor and state Rep. Rosalyn Dance. “He wanted to be an active participant.”
“Everyone knew him as ‘PT,’ but I could never call him that,” said retired Gen. Dennis Via, a former student and longtime friend. “It was always ‘Colonel Taylor,’ and I always added ‘Sir.'”
Via called him “an American hero and legend.”
Taylor, who was active in more than 30 civic organizations and 15 military organizations, died on May 26 after a long period of declining health. He would have turned 99 in August.
Taylor, a retired educator and vice president for student affairs at Virginia State University, was one of a handful of military personnel to serve in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. During World War II, he was a member of the 555th He was a member of the Triple Nickles Parachute Brigade, the first all-black military division, and served in both the Army and Navy during his career.
In Petersburg, Taylor served on the school board and helped found the interdenominational group Downtown Churches United. He founded DCU’s annual Walk Against Hunger to raise awareness of Petersburg’s famine, which was renamed in his honor seven years ago.
Related: Porcher “PT” Taylor will be remembered for his life of “profound contributions” to Petersburg
One man, many missions
Taylor’s memorial service touched on all facets of his 98-year life.
Visitors to Good Shepherd Baptist Church passed his open casket on their way to the sanctuary, seeing him in full military uniform, with commendations and a name tag on his chest and white gloves on his folded hands.
In the sanctuary, musicians from the Petersburg Symphony Orchestra – another group he co-founded – played some of his favorite pop and gospel songs for attendees. After his flag-draped casket was brought forward, the ensemble and a group of singers played “Battle Hymn of The Republic” as attendees stood and sang along.
As a proclamation honoring his life was read, active and retired military personnel in the audience stood at attention and were asked to give the salute.
One by one, speakers spoke about Taylor’s passion for life and his commitment to country, community, family and faith.
“He belonged to God first, then to his family, then to the world,” Dance said, pausing a few times to compose himself.
VSU President Dr. Makola Abdullah recalled the first story he ever heard about Taylor when he arrived at Ettrick. Abdullah read comments from a former student government president about how Taylor insisted on sitting at the table at visitor meetings and later even co-signed a car loan for him.
“I wasn’t sure if I could meet the standard that Dr. Colonel Porcher Taylor had set,” Abdullah said. “I wondered if anyone could ever meet such a high standard. I still wonder.”
“To everyone else, if you want to live a fulfilling life of service, make a difference, and leave a legacy that touches hearts and minds, I’m not sure you could find a better example than Dr. Colonel Porcher Taylor.”
Dance, a longtime friend of the Taylor family, said Taylor “will always be alive because he shared her youthful precocity.”
“He had a precocious smile. He had a childlike smile. Even in the last pictures that someone shared with me on stage, that smile was still there,” she said. “He shared that smile, his time, his talent, his treasures and his genuine love for people with so many.”
Watch a video of the memorial service for Col. Porcher L. Taylor Jr. here.
Nephew remembers his uncle’s strength
One of the most moving moments of the service was when Ronnie Belton spoke about the man he called “Uncle BB.”
Belton recalled playing with a match as a youngster that started a fire and burned down his house. He said when he talked to his uncle about it, Taylor didn’t raise his voice or get angry. Instead, he remembered Taylor telling him, “We need to do something else with your energy.”
Taylor got Belton involved in the Boy Scouts, which became a family tradition. Taylor was an Eagle Scout and passed on the love of Scouting to his son and nephews. In total, there are 23 Eagle Scouts in the family, including Belton.
“He said, ‘Next time you light a match, you’d better do it for a campfire,'” Belton said. The audience roared with laughter.
Belton was close to tears several times when he spoke of “my favorite uncle.”
“We are all heartbroken that he is no longer with us,” Belton said. “But he is not gone. He is still here. I see him all the time.”
“Honor a hero”
Actors Tim and Daphne Maxwell Reid were among the many dignitaries at the memorial service, which also included Representative Jennifer McClellan (D-Virginia), State Senator Lashrecse Aird (D-Petersburg) and Mayor Sam Parham. The memorial service included letters of condolence to Taylor’s family from local, state and national leaders.
Tim Reid gave a brief speech at the memorial service and said he had to take an overnight flight from Los Angeles to Virginia. “That’s why I wear these (sunglasses)… not because I think I’m cool, but because my eyes are really red,” he joked.
Reid said he was working on a movie Friday night and got nervous because he knew he had to leave almost immediately to catch his flight. He eventually told the crew they would have to work on his scenes in the next 15 to 20 minutes because he had to leave – and he explained to the crew why.
“I have to honor a hero, a dear friend and someone I respected very much,” Reid said. “There aren’t many like him left in the world today.”
Reid, a Norfolk native who ran New Millenium Studios in Petersburg for several years, recalled working with Taylor on a documentary about the Triple Nickles. He may have been the producer and director, but he said it was ultimately Taylor who called the shots.
“He told me, ‘Oh, you’re going to do this documentary,'” Reid said. He later called Taylor a “man of courage and bravery” who had now “become an honorable ancestor.”
In October, Taylor will be buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist covering breaking news, government and politics. You can reach him at [email protected] or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI.
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