James Taliaferro

James Eugene Taliaferro passed away on July 9, 2014 in Groesbeck, Texas. He was a lifelong resident of the Prairie Hill and Coolidge communities. Funeral services will be 1:30 p.m., Saturday, July 12, 2014 at the Prairie Hill Baptist Church with Rev. Fred Sain officiating. A Masonic service and military honors will follow in the Prairie Hill Cemetery. He was born in Hubbard, Texas on February 8, 1926 to Jim and Clara (Medley) Taliaferro. He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Mary Ellon Jones, daughter, Debra Stewart , and grandson, Ray Creecy. He is survived by his daughter, Linda Holt, of Coolidge, his son Stephen and wife, Annie, of Austin, and sister Jacquiline Street of Haslet. Five grandchildren, Jeff Creecy and his wife, Lucy of Houston, Brandy Barrett of Tyler, Stephannie and Anna Taliaferro of Austin, and Jim and Kelli Stewart of Waxahachie along with 10 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. James grew up on a farm and attended Prairie Hill schools graduating in 1943. Afterwards, he was attending Westminster College in Tehuacana until February 1944 when he enlisted in the Army-Air Corp. He served in the Pacific in the Mariana Islands as a tail gunner aboard a B-29. After discharge from the service in May 1946, he returned to the Prairie Hill community. He married his high school sweetheart on August 24, 1946. They moved to Stephenville where he attended John Tarleton College for a year. Afterwards, they moved back to the farm in Prairie Hill where he remained until his death. He always farmed and kept several head of cattle, but to make ends meet over the next several years, he also worked at various plants such as General Dynamics in Ft. Worth, Bell Helicopter in Hurst and Rocketdyne in McGregor all along driving back and forth to maintain his farm family. Then in June of 1967, he got his dream job when he was selected to fill the position of Rural Letter Carrier in Coolidge. He worked there until he retired in November 1990. He so loved his job and his patrons. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Prairie Hill where he served as a Deacon. He was very proud to be a Mason and had just received recognition as a 60 year member. Pallbearers will be Jeff Creecy, Jim Stewart, Ray Forrester, Stell Waldrop, Jr., Jerry Bass, and Troy Gayden. If desired, memorials may be made to Southern Care Hospice in Waco, Texas or the Parkinson Disease Association..

Visitation Details

Friday, July 11th, 2014 5:00pm - 7:00pm, Blair-Stubbs Funeral Home

Service Information

Saturday, July 12th, 2014 1:30pm, Prairie Hill Baptist Church

Interment Details

Prairie Hill Cemetery