Craig Taylor

Craig Morris Taylor passed away from natural causes Monday, June 27, 2022, at his home on Lake Tenkiller, surrounded by the family he so loved.

Craig was born on Tuesday, February 25, 1930, the son of John Clifton Taylor and Mary (Craig) Taylor. He attended Capitol Hill High School in Oklahoma City, OK. On January 2, 1949, he married his true love, Jackie Holt in Fort Smith, AR. This union was blessed with three daughters, Linda, Karen and Kimberly.
In 1950 Craig went to work for the Oklahoma City Fire Department and retired after 28 years with the rank of District Chief. Craig had many interests but at the top of the list was drag boat racing. Craig and Jackie were founding members of the Oklahoma City Drag Boat Association where they formed lifelong friends. Weekends consisted of packing up the kids and traveling across the country to race or heading to Lake Tenkiller where he taught all of his girls to water ski and countless others.

Craig retired in 1978 at the age of 48 and fulfilled his goal of moving to Lake Tenkiller. After retirement he worked at the Vo-Tech teaching welding, worked in Velma, OK for Marshall Oil Co. as a welder and occasionally drove for Grey Hound buses, but it was really just to primarily haul all his friends and family on yearly ski trips.

In 1988 Craig went into cardiac arrest in the ER of Integris Baptist Hospital. Dr. Charles Bethea was able to revive Craig and became his lifelong cardiologist. Words cannot express our thanks and respect for Dr. Bethea. After his heart bypass surgery, Craig decided he wasn't through racing and bought a hydro and fittingly named it "In A Heartbeat". He tried to convince Jackie he was building this boat for his sons-in-law to drive but Jackie knew better. She always did when it came to him and his race boats.

Craig and Jackie enjoyed countless weekends on the lake with his daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren, along with all of their friends who all called him "dad". He loved dogs and they loved him. He had many interests which included water skiing, snow skiing, riding motorcycles, hot rods and of course his drag boats.

Craig was a loving, fun and devoted husband, father and grandfather and was dearly loved by his family and many friends.

Preceding Craig in death were his father and mother, sisters Wilma Steffey and Lawanna
Brown, brothers Clifton and Bobby, and his wife Jackie.

Left behind to cherish his memories are his children, Linda McCarty of Allen, Texas, Karen and Bill Brown of Lake Tenkiller and Kim Harris of the home, grandchildren James Taylor, Kayla McCarty, Audra Harris and Sterling, his namesake Taylor Harris and Kandee. Also survived by his great grandchildren, Cade McCarty Houghland, McKenna and Laken Harris. We keep your memories in our hearts and will forever love you.