In Memory

Lacy H. Taylor, Jr. - Class Of 1968

Capt. Lacy H. Taylor, Jr.

January 1935 - October 2015

CMA Faculty 1963 - 1969

 

 


Lacy Henry Taylor, Jr., 80, of Lumberton, died October 24, 2015.

He spent his life in education.

Mr. Taylor was the principal of Speight Middle School in Wilson, NC for over twenty years.

Prior to Speight Middle, he served as principal of St. Pauls Senior High in St. Pauls, NC.

His most joyous times were spent at Carolina Military Academy in Maxton, NC where he held the proud position as Commandant and head mathematics instructor.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lacy Henry Taylor, Sr. and Eudora I. Taylor.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Elizabeth W. Taylor of Lumberton; daughters, Twillah T. Bardill (Rexford Bardill) of Wilson, NC, and Denise Taylor of Wilson, NC; and grandchild, Rexford Alan Bardill, Jr. (Alan) of Pembroke, NC.

 

A private service has been planned for a later date.

 



 

 

 



 
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10/28/15 05:01 PM #1    

Andy Ray (1965)

I really liked Capt Taylor.  He was tough as nails on the outside but a real mentor on the inside. He gave me my first taste of photography and darkroom techniques and was very helpful with the first CMA Band Reunion way back in the late '70's.   To this day I think of him often around my time at CMA.  For those of you who have heard or read "the bugle story" from me, it was Capt Taylor who "challenged" me.  Funny as hell now...frightful at the time.  Rest in Peace, Lacy.  I am a better person for having known you.    Andy Ray / Band Company

 

 


10/28/15 05:06 PM #2    

Bryan Hovey (1969)

So many stories about Lacy - Captain Taylor!. When he learned that students were fighting he would make them put  boxing gloves on and put them in a ring to box. Now these gloves were not the light weight boxing gloves either. They were so heavy that most kids could not hold them up! He was passionate about Algebra and wanted you to pay attention in his class, but most of all to learn algebra. In the four years I was a cadet at CMA, Lacy never pronounced my name correctly. On graduation day, I asked him to pronounce my name  correctly at least once and his comment was, "What do you care Hovey, your graduated! " I remember him saying that like it was yesterday. I was so good to see him at the Maxton reunion.


10/28/15 05:32 PM #3    

Thomas Ward (1963)

Lacy H. Taylor was my math teacher and my boxing coach. During the first year of CMA Coach Taylor and some of we cadets formed a boxing team. Coach Taylor was a former North Carolina Golden Gloves heavyweight champion. It was an honor for me to have him as my coach.

One of our team was also a North Carolina Golden Gloves middleweight champion, we had four  accomplished boxers and other cadets like me who wanted to learn and compete. It was Coach Taylor's goal to train us up and eventually we hoped to become AAU Golden Gloves competitors, that didn't happen.

The team put on an exhibition for the cadet corps, shortly thereafter the program was cancelled. I never knew exactly why. A couple of reunions ago or so  Lacy attended a reunion and I had an opportunity to get reacquainted with him. That meeting meant and means a lot to me.

I'll always remember Lacy Taylor as a fine educator as well as a great athelete and coach. May he rest in peace.

Respectfully,

Tom Ward

 

 


10/28/15 08:56 PM #4    

Billy Bradham (1972)

capt taylor was the first person i met at cma, my dad & i rode to maxton in summer of '68 to visit the school, no one was there except for capt taylor, my dad had
a'67 thunderbird & mostly he & capt taylor talked about cars, the colonel was out for the day, but his olds toronado was parked out front, capt taylor told my dad that t-birds were his favorite cars
& he hoped to own one.about a month into the school year, capt taylor checked me into the infirmary, but my folks picked me up for an "unofficial" weekend leave, he knew when the rules needed to be bent, a man of character & leadership, my dad passed on 25th august, he often asked of capt taylor, my dad&i made the decision to attend cma largely because of capt taylor, my dad said capt taylor was a man you could trust your son with, one of best people ever ! i feel saddened by his passing!

10/29/15 05:37 PM #5    

William Duval Averre (1966)

I had Capt Taylor for Algebra II after having had Fred Ferguson for Algebra I.  Capt Taylor said I would never keep the high avg grade that I had maintained in Ferguson's class.  Didn't take long and he admitted that Ferguson must have taught me something.  I also had him for Drivers Education...that was a fun time.

I was deeply saddened at the news of his passing and that I would not be able to get reacquainted with him at a future Reunion.

God's Blessings and Love to Mrs.Taylor and his family.


10/30/15 11:13 AM #6    

Fred Majors (1963)

As I write this, I find that most all the player in this story are now dead and a great dose of reality begins to set in!!!

One day in 1962 my buddy Jonny Abercrombie says to me, then Lt Taylor, was starting a boxing team and I should go see him! So off I go to see Lacy. Now I must confess I was scared to death of being hurt so I had lied to everyone about knowing Karate to keep people away!! So as Lacy and I talked, I was honest and said I new nothing about boxing, but of course my Karate lie came into play!! I was shaking in my boots and Lacy looked me right in the eye and tells me he will teach me to box if I will in turn teach him Karate. Oh crap my bluff is called either knowingly or not he had me. All I could say was OK! After the big fight with Phill Tillet I was so disheartened that I went to my room and cried until out of no where, there was Lacy who tells me that I had actually won the fight because Phill used unorthodox methods to knock me down twice!! Which I had though was the kiss of death!! That moment in my life completely turned my life around!! I was never afraid of been hit again!! And Lacy never called in his Karate marker. To this day I think he sensed it was all talk!!

That story I just shared is true!! Lacy Taylor changed my life forever!! To this day and I am now 70, no other person has impacted my life like he did! I have told this story many times to many different people!! I am truly sorry I never told him!! Please forgive me my dear departed Savior!!!


10/31/15 10:36 AM #7    

Ronald N. Walker (1963)

I, too, well remember Capt. Taylor, his wife and daughter Twila. They were the right people, in the right place, at the right time for so many of us during CMA's first year (1962-63). Its amazing what a faculty and staff Col. L.C. Blankenship assembled (!), and they and the cadets will live in my thoughts and memory. The 1 year I spent at CMA definitely turned my academic life around for the good and I am so very grateful for the experience.

 


07/02/21 04:35 PM #8    

David Michael Howerin (1969)

Mr Lacey H. Taylor was an excellent math teacher who encouraged you do your best. 


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