Obituary

Baxter Brooks B.B. Taylor Jr.

Baxter Brooks (B.B.) Taylor Jr., 94, of Richmond died Jan. 23, 2022 surrounded by his family.

Known for greeting everyone he passed as well as his dry wit, Mr. Taylor was born Oct. 1, 1927 in Appalachia, Va. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps (1946-49) and the U.S. Army Reserve (1950-1965). He left the reserve as Major, Adjutant General’s Corps.

During assignment in Richmond, Va. he met his “bride” of 68 years, MCV nursing student Hilda Robbins. Following his 1956 graduation from Emory & Henry College, he began his 34-year banking career at State-Planters Bank (now Truist), growing with it through many expansions and name changes. He retired in 1990 as senior vice president and corporate compliance officer.

Named “Father of Small Business in Virginia” at the 1983 Governor’s Conference on Small Business, Mr. Taylor was a motivating force behind the creation of the Va. Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Council and a delegate to the 1980 White House Conference on Small Business. The Metropolitan Business League recognized him for “Outstanding Service to Minority Small Business.”

A recipient of the Boy Scouts of America’s Silver Beaver Award, he was a longtime scoutmaster and BSA volunteer. He helped bring Habitat for Humanity to Richmond and served as president of the Meadowbrook Estates Civic Association. A lifelong Methodist, he was an active member of Beulah United Methodist Church, where he led the choir, served on multiple lay committees and belonged to the Crusaders Sunday School class.

Mr. Taylor loved his alma mater, Emory & Henry, where he served as president of its national Alumni Board and was the 1997 recipient of its Distinctive Service to Emory & Henry Award.

His love of railroads came from his father, Baxter Brooks Taylor Sr., a Southern Railway conductor who predeceased him along with his mother, Amelia Wacks Taylor, son, John Calvin Taylor, and sister Evelyn Taylor Kiser. He is survived by his wife, Hilda Robbins Taylor of N. Chesterfield; son Baxter B. “Backy” Taylor III (Katie) of Manakin-Sabot, daughters Catherine “Cathy” Turner (Sonny) of Chester and Susan Leathers (Larry) of Brentwood, Tenn., and sister Dorothy Taylor Weiman of Orlando, Fla. He also leaves nine grandchildren – Brooks Taylor IV (Ashley), Lindsey Lankey (Trey), Haley Roberts (Sam), Lucas Taylor, Stefanie Turner, Tabitha Wade (Mike), Martin Leathers (Hannah), Thomas Leathers and Alexandra Yokum (Trevor) — and 10 great-grandchildren, including Baxter B. “Quinn” Taylor V. Other survivors are niece Shanda Horner (Garnett) of Lynchburg, Va. and nephew Andrew “Hap” Shiloh of Orlando, Fla.

A memorial service is planned Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022 at Beulah United Methodist Church 6930 Hopkins Road, Richmond, VA 23234, with a 10 a.m. visitation followed by an 11 a.m. memorial service. A reception will follow immediately after at Beulah United Methodist Church . In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to Emory & Henry College, Beulah United Methodist Church or the Alzheimer’s Association.