Captain Thomas J. Taylor, 77, of Sebastian, passed away on Aug. 31, 2014.
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Karen Taylor; son Tom Taylor (Wendi); daughter Eileen Jernigan (Randy); grandchildren Nicole Stone, Keith Taylor, and Jamie Powers; great-grandchildren Haley McKinnon and Damian Kelley; and brother Joseph Taylor.
Captain Taylor graduated in 1958 from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, in Kings Port, N.Y. The first year after graduation, he worked as a civilian employee of the Department of the Navy, running troop ships into Germany and delivering the Turkish United Nations contingent to Korea.
He then went to work for Gulf Oil, where he spent the next 24 years as Captain of several tankers including the Gulf Supertanker, American Independence. After retiring from Gulf in 1983, he spent the next few years running yachts and managing the marinas at the Boca Raton Resort and at Bahia Mar, the largest marina on the East Coast.
Captain Taylor received the Silver Mariner Award in 1998 from the US Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association in recognition of his successful 25 plus year career at sea as Captain and Master.
The family will have a private celebration of his life this coming weekend. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to USMMA Alumni Association and Foundation in his name.
Arrangements are under the direction of Strunk Funeral Home, Sebastian. An online guestbook is available at www.strunkfuneralhome.com.