Brent Taylor's Obituary
LONGVIEW – A Celebration of Life for James Brent Taylor will be 2 p.m. Thursday, January 15, at First United Methodist Church in downtown Longview with the Rev. Jay Jackson officiating. A reception and visitation will follow in Cook Foyer at the church. Brent passed away on January 8 following several years of lung and cardiac issues.
Brent was born to Alton and Frances Welch Taylor on June 6, 1944, in McKinney, Texas. He graduated from McKinney High School in 1962 and from Tarleton State College in 1967 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He earned a Master of Education from Stephen F. Austin State University in 1972.
An outstanding athlete in both high school and college, Brent carried that love with him into his future career. He began teaching and coaching in Longview at Foster Junior High and continued that path at Richardson High school where he coached quarterbacks, as well as basketball. Brent returned to Longview as a varsity football and basketball coach at Longview High School. He later went into administration, serving as an assistant principal at Longview High School and then as principal at Judson Middle School. Brent completed his educational career at Region VII Educational Service Center. He worked closely with the superintendents from more than 90 school districts and organized their annual retreat.
He loved education and getting to know the students. The highlight of his career was being a part of the radio broadcast for Lobo football. Along with his broadcast partner and dear friend Johnny Vaughan, Brent was known as the “Voice of the Lobos” for 43 years. He loved every minute of being a part of Lobo football, no matter where the schedule took him. Name a stadium and Brent could tell you how to get there and how many people it could hold.
Brent loved his family and his church. He married Longview native Pam Perkins in 1969. They celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary last July. As newlyweds, they were charter members of the Grace Lowrey Sunday School Class at First United Methodist Church. In later years they were a part of the Clyde Hall Class.
In addition to Pam, Brent is survived by daughter and son-in-law, Kiley Taylor Busby (Clay); grandson, Harrison Brent; brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Teresa Taylor; nieces Rachel Ledbetter, Jamie Focke, Kenzie Valladolid; and nephew Kevin Perkins. He was preceded in death by his parents, father and mother-in-law, Tillman and Jean Perkins; and brother-in-law Marc Perkins.
Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 400 N. Fredonia St., Longview, TX 75601; or Lobo Football Boosters, 303 W Loop 281, Suite 110, Box 224, Longview, TX 75605.
The service will be live-streamed on the church website: https//www.longviewfumc.org/livestream
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