Retired Police Sgt. Larry Thomas Taylor of Columbus, Georgia, passed away on January 21, 2024 at the age of 77.

Larry was born September 11, 1946 in Irvington, Kentucky to John Thomas Taylor and Juanita Ava Dowell. He grew up alongside his parents, two older sisters, and his twin brother. Larry attended Irvington High School and was a member of the basketball team, the sport that was a life-long passion.

At the age of 18, immediately following his high school graduation, he enlisted in the United States Air Force. He was trained as a Fire Fighter, and was deployed to the Philippines during the Vietnam War. He served from 1964 to 1968 and was Honorably Discharged. He was awarded a Medal of Good Conduct and a National Defense Service Medal.

After the service, he followed his twin brother Garry to Columbus, Georgia to what he would later call home. For a short time Larry worked at various night clubs such as Down the Hatch and the Chickasaw.  He later worked as a bartender at his brother Garry’s restaurant on Victory Drive called Lums Restaurant.

While working at Lums, he met his future wife Patricia Povoski. Larry and Patricia wed on July 8, 1975. They were married for 48 years and raised their son Justin and their daughters Leigh Anne and Sara Beth.

After settling down with his wife Patricia and starting a family, he earned his degree in Criminal Justice at Chattahoochee Valley Community College and joined the Columbus Police Department on February 16, 1976, starting his law enforcement career working as a jailer. His next assignment was in the Patrol Division, and several years later he transferred to the Vice Squad. After his rotation to the Vice Squad, he transferred back to the Patrol Division, where he spent the remainder of his career. He retired after 34 years, as Sergeant of Patrol.

In addition to his career as a Police Officer, he served as a Deputy U.S. Marshal for the U.S. Marshals Service for the Middle District of Georgia at the local office in Columbus, Georgia. The many letters of appreciation he received from private citizens over the course of his career serves as a testament to Larry’s kindness and compassion.

Larry loved the outdoors and enjoyed landscaping his property. In his spare time,  he loved to play golf, billiards and card games with his friends. He loved country music and his Ford trucks (but he always wanted a Mustang). He enjoyed watching his favorite sports teams: the University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball team, the University of Alabama football team, the Atlanta Braves and the Atlanta Hawks. He enjoyed attending family outings and watching his children and grandchildren play various sports. His ideal evening was to spend it with family, which included eating a home cooked meal, relaxing in his recliner to watch his favorite shows like Blue Bloods and NCIS, and finishing things off with a bowl of butter pecan ice cream.

He enjoyed long distance phone calls from his grandchildren, nieces, nephews, sisters and life long friends. He never missed a nightly call to his best friend and twin brother Garry, until Garry’s passing in 2020. Once Sara moved to Montgomery, Alabama, he traveled every Wednesday to visit her and sit with his grand dogs Boomer, Bentley and Remington. In 2023, he became a great granddaddy when his grandson Payton welcomed a daughter, Rawlings, to the world.

Larry was quick to laugh and crack jokes; he was selfless, humble, thoughtful and kind and cared for all that he loved, family or not. He stood up for what he thought was right and tried to do the right thing by people. He was a man of his word and he always had his fellow officers’ backs. He worked hard to provide for his family, often holding an extra job or two to help make ends meet.

He is survived by his wife Patricia (Povoski) Taylor; his son Justin Thomas Taylor (Leighann); his daughters, Leigh Anne Taylor and Sara Beth Taylor; his grandchildren Payton Thomas Taylor (Shelbee), Erich Taylor, Alina Taylor; great granddaughter Rawlings Anne Taylor; his sisters Sharon Taylor Sipes and Shirley Aiken; and his nieces and nephews, John Taylor, Jenny Taylor, Tracey Taylor, and Adam Sipes.

Husband, father, grandfather, friend…although the light that he brought to people’s lives no longer shines, the warm glow of his memory remains with all whose lives he touched.

 

Larry’s memorial service will commence at 11:00 AM on Friday February 2, 2024 at Cox Funeral Home 240 Walton Street Hamilton, GA 31811