Thomas Patrick Taylor was a lifelong resident and contributor to the Overland community. He was born on January 15, 1936 to George Taylor of St. Louis, Missouri, and Vivian Taylor (nee Black) of Rinard, Illinois, and passed away on October 19, 2023, surrounded by his family.

Tom's life was marked by a strong commitment to both his country and his family. He took great pride in his service in the United States Navy where he was a Plane Captain (Flight Engineer) aboard a P2V-Neptune and tracked Soviet shipping vessels and submarines during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

In 1958, Tom married the love of his life, Ellender Louise Brown. Together, they had three sons, George Anthony (the late Joy), Patrick Thomas, and Timothy Joseph (Tammy). He cherished his role as a father and as a grandfather to Georgi, Tommie, Joseph, and Josie. Throughout the years, he instilled in his family the values of hard work, honesty, service, and loyalty.

In 1954, Tom, alongside his father George, founded Taylor Paint & Hardware, located in Overland, Missouri. This business would go on to become Taylor Industrial Tools and Supplies, a well-established wholesale distributor of industrial hand tools, serving the automotive and construction/industrial markets.

Tom's commitment to quality and excellence in his work left a lasting legacy. He forged meaningful and lasting relationships with local, national and international businesses and served a term as president of the Overland Rotary Club from 1973-1974.

Tom was probably best known for his love of dogs and never went anywhere without a dog treat in his pocket. He was also well known for his love of cars and was active in many local and national car clubs and organizations. While in the Navy, he drove his Porsche 356A between St. Louis and Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, a testament to his unwavering enthusiasm for automobiles.

Tom will be remembered not only for his professional achievements and contributions to his community but also for the love and devotion he shared with his family. His legacy lives on through his family and his memory will forever hold a special place in the hearts of his children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends (two-legged and four-legged).

Services will be held at Ortmann's, 9222 Lackland Rd, Overland, MO, Wednesday, October 25, 2023 at 10 a.m followed by the interment at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3-8 p.m. on Tuesday, October 24, 2023. In lieu of flowers, donations in Tom's honor may be made to The National Children's Cancer Society, the benefactor of his favorite annual charity car show, Wheels in Motion.