Thursday, March 28, 2024

Ryan Philip Taylor, 21, graduate of Tabb High School

Ryan Philip Taylor
Ryan Philip Taylor

We lost our precious Ryan Philip Taylor, 21, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019.

A precious soul who was loved by so many and touched so many lives, words cannot express our grief and our sadness. He lost a battle that he fought for several years, but he taught us to live life to the fullest and to live each day for the moment. He was so much fun and so full of life. Ryan had a way with people that no one else had. He was able to come into a room and make sure everyone was laughing. He had a way to love people of all walks of life and made everyone feel special in some way regardless of who they were or how long he had known them.

While Ryan lost his battle with depression and addiction, he will be remembered by so many people as one who was fun and full of life. He didn’t show others the sadness he felt — only those who were the closest to him knew of his inner struggles. We tried so very hard to save him. We prayed daily for his healing and God chose fit to save him His way. It’s a painful way for the family, knowing we won’t hold him or see him or get that one last laugh, but God is perfect and knew that he was going to get this precious soul home where there is no more suffering and no more pain.

Ryan, we know you are being held extra tightly by God and by the family that preceded you in death. You never got to meet your grandpaw, Duck (Joseph Beck), and he is so happy to now get to know his funny grandson. Ryan was also preceded in death by his grandmother, Elsie Beck; and great-grandmother, Lillian Bledsoe.

Ryan, we know you are dancing in heaven now and listening to all your favorite rap tunes and being reunited with family and lost friends.

He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Mary and Paul Brown; father, Daniel Taylor; sister, Megan Taylor; grandparents, Warren and Barbara Taylor; aunts and uncles who adored him; cousins who treasured him, and so many friends who loved him. He had his special “Aunt Suzie,” who always treated him like her own son, and always made sure Ryan knew how much he was loved. His Uncle Jon was a big part of his life during the last few years — trying to mentor and love him unconditionally and make sure Ryan knew that there were bigger things in life to strive for.

While our lives will never be the same without Ryan, we will make sure we live as he would have wanted us to live. He loved fishing, skateboarding, boating, music, dancing and making everyone else laugh. He never turned down a challenge, was never scared to live on the edge and always wanted everyone to be laughing. We are certain you are in heaven smiling down on us. Heaven gained an angel.

Ryan grew up in Tabb Virginia and attended Tabb High School. He had so many friends. We welcome everyone to come and be at his homecoming celebration. This will be a time of celebration as Ryan wouldn’t want it any other way. Funeral services will be held at 3:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 25, at Bethel Baptist Church, 1004 Yorktown Road.

Share online condolences with the family at R. Hayden Smith Funeral Home.

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