'He shared that smile': Military hero, civic leader Porcher Taylor memorialized

PETERSBURG – Petersburg bid farewell Saturday to a man remembered not just for his military heroism but also his love for his family and city, his faith and a “youthful precociousness.”

Several hundred people attended Saturday afternoon’s service for retired Col. Porcher L. Taylor Jr at Good Shepherd Baptist Church on South Crater Road. One by one, speakers praised Taylor for being the embodiment of service – be it as part of three wars or unwilling to stand on the sidelines and instead make a difference in his community.

“He was never just a name on the list,” former Petersburg mayor and state legislator Rosalyn Dance said. “He wanted to be an active participant.”

“Everyone knew him as ‘P.T.’ but I just could never call him that,” retired Army Gen. Dennis Via, a former student and longtime friend, said. “It was always ‘Colonel Taylor,’ and I always added ‘sir’ after it.”

Via called him “an American hero and legend.”

Taylor, who served on more than 30 civic organizations and 15 military organizations, died May 26 following a long period of declining health. He would have turned 99 in August.

A retired educator and vice president of student affairs at Virginia State University, Taylor was one of a handful of military personnel who served in World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. During World War II, he was a member of the 555^th “Triple Nickles” paratrooper brigade, the first military division whose members were all Black men, and served in both the Army and Navy during his career.

In Petersburg, Taylor was a member of the School Board and helped create the multi-denominational group Downtown Churches United. He established DCU’s annual “Walk Against Hunger” to bring attention to famine in Petersburg. Seven years ago, that event was renamed in his honor.

Related: Porcher 'P.T.' Taylor remembered for a life of 'profound contributions' to Petersburg

One man, many missions

Taylor’s memorial service touched on all facets of his 98 years.

Visitors to Good Shepherd Baptist Church filed past his open casket on their way to the sanctuary. They saw him in a full military dress uniform, complete with commendations and his name tag pinned to his chest and white dress gloves on his folded hands.

Inside the sanctuary, musicians from the Petersburg Symphony Orchestra – another group he helped found – serenaded visitors with some of his favorite popular and gospel songs. After his flag-draped casket was brought to the front, the ensemble and a group of singers performed “Battle Hymn of The Republic” while visitors stood and sang along.

As a proclamation celebrating his life was read, active and retired military in the audience stood at attention and were commanded to offer salutes.

One by one, speakers talked about Taylor’s passion for life and service to country, community, family and faith.

“He belonged to God first, then his family and then the world,” Dance said, pausing a couple of times to compose herself.

VSU president Dr. Makola Abdullah recalled the first story he ever heard about Taylor when he arrived in Ettrick. Abdullah read comments from a former Student Government Association president about how Taylor insisted he sit at the table during boards of visitors' meetings, and later even co-signed a car loan for him.

“The standard that Dr. Colonel Porcher Taylor set was not one that I was sure I was going to be able to meet,” Abdullah said. “I wondered if anyone could ever meet a standard that was so high. I still wonder.

“To everyone else, if you want to follow a life well lived in service, make a difference and leave a legacy that impacted hearts and minds, I’m not sure you can pick a better example than Dr. Colonel Porcher Taylor.”

Dance, a longtime friend of the Taylor family, said Taylor will “always be alive because he shared his youthful precociousness.

“He had a precocious smile. He had a childlike smile. Even in the latest pictures someone shared with me on the stage, that smile was still there,” she said. “He shared that smile, his time, talent, treasures and his sincere love of people with so many.”

Watch a video of Col. Porcher L. Taylor Jr.'s memorial service here.

Nephew recalls his uncle’s strength

One of the more poignant moments of the service came from Ronnie Belton speaking about the man he called “Uncle BB.”

Belton recalled as a youth playing with a match that started a fire and burned down his house. He said when he spoke with his uncle about it, Taylor did not raise his voice or become agitated with him. Instead, he remembered Taylor telling him, “We have to do something more with your energy.”

Taylor got Belton involved in scouting, which turned out to be a family tradition. Taylor was an Eagle scout and passed the love of scouting on to his son and nephews. Overall, there are 23 Eagle scouts in the family, including Belton.

“He said, ‘The next time you’re lighting a match, it better be for a campfire,’” Belton said. The audience roared with laughter.

Belton choked up several times talking about “my favorite uncle.

“We all are just heartbroken that he’s no longer living with us,” Belton said. “But he’s not gone. He’s still here. I see him all the time.”

‘Honor a hero’

Actors Tim and Daphne Maxwell Reid were among the many dignitaries at the service, which also included Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-Virginia, state Sen. Lashrecse Aird, D-Petersburg, and Mayor Sam Parham. The memorial's program included letters of condolences from local, state and national leaders to Taylor's family.

Tim Reid spoke briefly at the service, talking about how he had to catch a red-eye flight from Los Angeles to Virginia. “That’s why I’m wearing these (sun)glasses ... not because I think I’m cool but because my eyes really are red,” he joked.

Reid said he was working on a film Friday night and was getting antsy because he knew he had to leave almost immediately to catch that flight. He finally told the crew they had to work on his scenes within the next 15-20 minutes because he had to leave – and he told the crew why.

“I have to go and honor a hero, a dear friend and someone I respected so much,” Reid said. “There’s not many like him still left in the world today.”

Reid, a Norfolk native who operated New Millenium Studios in Petersburg for several years, recalled working on a documentary with Taylor about the Triple Nickles. He may have been the producer and director, but he said it was Taylor who ultimately called the shots.

“He told me, ‘Oh, you’re gonna do this documentary,’” Reid said. He later called Taylor a “man of courage and bravery” who has now “transitioned into ah honored ancestor.”

In October, Taylor will be buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery.

Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI.

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Hundreds say goodbye to 'iconic' Porcher Taylor