James “Jim” B. Taylor, age 81, of Rinard, Illinois, passed away Thursday, June 28, 2018, at Clay County Hospital in Flora.

Jim was born June 27, 1937, in Latham, Tennessee, the son of Donald H. Taylor and Mary Louise (Bowles) Taylor. He was united in marriage to Rita A. Yates on June 1, 1956, in Rinard, and they have celebrated 62 wedding anniversaries together.

Jim worked at International Shoe Factory, was an assistant manager at A&P Grocery, and worked for Ashland Pipeline for over 20 years. He served as a former pastor at Forest Ridge Congregational Christian Church and Richland Christian Church and was a member of the Congregational Christian Association. He kept a church affiliation with several area churches and was often asked to fill in when needed at various churches. Jim played guitar for the Hometown Bluegrass Band and hosted a bluegrass show on WNOI for several years. He also enjoyed flying aircraft and ultralights and attended the Oshkosh Air Show for 25 years. Jim was a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Flora Fun Flyers, and EAA Chapter 16, and flew for the Young Eagles Program for a number of years taking 350 young people for free airplane rides.

He is survived by his wife: Rita Taylor of Rinard; children: Barbara (Bruce) Brown of Flora, David (Kara) Taylor of Cisne, and Mike (Nancy) Taylor of Grayville; step-mother: Isabelle Taylor of Cisne; special friend: Brittany Arbuckle; 4 step-grandchildren and five step-great-grandchildren; brother: Ernie (Tish) Taylor of Mt. Vernon; sister: Linda Windland of Fairfield; sister-in-law: Karen Taylor of Albion; along with four nieces and one nephew.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents: James Ernest and Ethel Taylor; his father: Donald; his mother: Mary Louise; and two brothers: Allen and Bill Taylor.

A funeral service will be 11 a.m. Monday, July 2, 2018, at Frank & Bright Funeral Home in Flora. Burial will follow in Bunker Cemetery, Rinard. A visitation will be held Sunday evening from 5-7 p.m. at the funeral home. The family requests that memorial donations in Jim’s memory be made in honor of the work of Joy and Shane Davison with the Mediterranean Team (in France) and checks may be made to Blue Point Free Will Baptist Church.