James Gordon Taylor ’33

Gordie was born in Louisville, Ky., Dec. 18, 1908. He died in Alexander City, Ala., Aug. 14, 1999. He was 90.

Gordie came to Princeton from the Hill School. In college he was on the swimming and pistol teams, and was a member of the Cannon Club. He roomed in Pyne Hall with Frank L. Tettemer for all four years. He did graduate work in insurance at the U. of Houston, where he earned his CLU.

Gordie spent his career with Travelers Insurance Co., finally moving to his boyhood home of Birmingham as state manager.

An avid golfer all his life, he was past pres. of Alabama Seniors Golf Assn., and a member of the Country Club of Birmingham and Willow Point Country Club, Alexander City. He was a member of the Independent Presbyterian Church of Birmingham.

During WWII, commissioned as a lieutenant, Gordie served as a gunnery officer in the North and South Atlantic, Italy, North Africa, and the South Pacific.

On Dec. 27, 1933, Gordie married Jane Kirk Lyle, his boyhood sweetheart, who was known by many of classmates because she was Gordie's guest at houseparties. She died in 1990.

He is survived by a son, James W. III, a daughter, Kirk Taylor Watts, four grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

The Class of 1933