Ezekiel Sidney Taylor III, 89, recently of Newton, New Jersey, formerly of Mt. Airy, Maryland, and Hanover Township, New Jersey, died on July 27. He was the loving husband of the late Valoise Herrington Taylor.  Known as “Sid” to family and friends, he was born on April 27, 1922, in Macon, Georgia, son of Ezekiel S. Taylor, Jr. and Margaret Birch Taylor.  Sid graduated from Mercer College in Macon, Georgia, and attended his first year of medical school at Emory University. 

Already a private pilot and eager to pursue his first love, flying, he joined the U.S. Navy and earned his officer’s commission in the USNR in 1943.  He served in the Philippines, flying PB4Y-2 patrol bombers, and he served again during the Korean War as an air transport plane commander.  He retired from service in 1960 with the rank of lieutenant.

While working at Pan Am Airways, he had the good fortune to meet his future wife Val, whom he married on July 2, 1949.  For the remainder of his career, he was a corporate chief pilot, retiring from Borden, Inc. in 1987.

A longtime member of Hildale Park Presbyterian Church, he served as treasurer and member of the Session.  Additionally, he and Val were active in the Gideon’s.

Each summer, Sid took pride in growing vegetables for the family.  He was a master of fresh-squeezed orange juice and the best chocolate milkshakes.  He was also proud to be a lifelong Ford man.

Sid is survived by three children and their spouses, who will miss him: David L. and Susan Taylor Wakefield of North Branford, Christopher Ezekiel and Sharon Taylor, and Matthew Sidney and Noël-Marie Taylor. He is also survived by five grandchildren, Stephanie and Mike Taylor, and Maura, Aidan, and Breanna Taylor. He was predeceased by his beloved sister, Margaret Taylor Tarver.

His family requests that memorial contributions be made to Hildale Park Presbyterian Church, 85 Ridgedale Ave., Cedar Knolls, NJ  07927-1609, or to Gideon’s International, PO Box 140800, Nashville, TN  37214-0800 (www.gideons.org). The Bradley-Braviak Funeral Home, Whippany, New Jersey, was in charge of arrangements. For further information or to send a message of condolence, visit www.bradleyfuneralhomes.com.