James A. Taylor

James Artis Taylor was born on March 20, 1945, in Joiner Arkansas, to Ilean Taylor Scales. He grew up with his siblings Dorothy (deceased), Albert, Linda, Steve, and Stan. James attended the historically renown Dunbar High School in Earle Arkansas where he played basketball and baseball. He was a faithful member of the First Baptist church in Earle Arkansas, where he attended Sunday school and was baptized.

After high school, in 1965 James attended Shorter College in Little Rock Arkansas for two years. After college in 1968, James was encouraged by his Reverend Dr. Solomon Hill to travel to Seattle, Washington where he attended FAME Church and met and married Harriett Christian Taylor Hodge on October 30, 1969.  To this relationship he had four children Earl (wife Brenda), Edward, James Jr (wife LaTosha) and Joya (husband Alan II).  James then was blessed with eleven grandchildren Kelien, JT III, Taylor, Earl Jr (wife Jada), Taya, Jordyn, Alan III, Jayden (wife Kaylee), Jamiel (wife Meagan), Jamar and Isaiah.  It was a double blessing to see his great grandchildren Mae’lani (daughter of Taya) and Shiloh (son of Earl Jr and Jada), and also a host of loving nieces and nephews. James lived his life as a man who loved his family and his community.  He would spend countless hours on the phone keeping in touch with family and friends because he cared about them so much.  He was a pillar in the community he lived in, was kind to every neighbor, and knew something personally about all of them.  He was a sports fanatic and loved and talked statistics of many players in the NBA, Major League baseball, the NFL, and had a growing interest in the WNBA.

James worked for the Bar-S Meat Company for close to a decade and retired from this industry.  He later began working for a Building Service contractor for the SeaTac airport of which he also retired.

James was called home on January 27, 2026, surrounded by family and his loving partner Annie Byse-Moore. His family and loved ones will truly miss him.

James was preceded in death by his mother, Ilean Taylor Scales and his oldest sister Dorothy Pounds.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of James A. Taylor, please visit our floral store.