Rev. William "Billy" Taylor

Reverend William “Billy” L. Taylor of Tampa, FL, passed away on Saturday, December 6, 2025.  Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, December 27, 2025, 11:00 a.m. at St. Luke A.M.E. Church, 2709 N. 25th Street, Tampa, FL 33605, with Reverend Jimmy J. Thompson,  Officiating.  Interment will follow in Rest Haven Memorial Park Cemetery, 4615 E. Hanna Avenue, Tampa, FL 33610.

Reverend William “Billy” Lebron Taylor was born on October 11, 1949, in Tampa, Florida, to Mrs. Breezy Walker Taylor and Master Sgt. Joseph H. Taylor.

Reverend Taylor received his education in the public schools of Hillsborough County and graduated from Howard W. Blake High School, Class of 1967. He attended Florida A&M University and later obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in 1987 from Florida Metropolitan University.

Reverend Taylor retired in September 2009 from the City of Tampa after more than 20 years of dedicated service. He began his career as a Technician in the Department of Quality Assurance/Water Department and concluded his service as a Human Rights Investigator in the Division of Community Affairs.

Reverend Taylor accepted Christ at a young age and was baptized at Greater Bethel Baptist Church. He later moved his membership to St. Luke AME Church, where he acknowledged his call to ministry in 1990. He was later ordained as an Itinerant Deacon in 1992 and an Itinerant Elder in 1994. He served the following churches in a pastoral role, all within the West Coast Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AMEC): Gregg-Anne, Bradley Junction; St. Stephens, Bradenton; Mt. Olive, Plant City; and Mt. Pleasant, Odessa.

Love found him again when he met and married LaTonya M. Taylor on November 28, 2016. Reverend Taylor was a devoted husband, father, uncle, and friend.

He leaves to cherish his memory: his loving and faithful wife of nine years, LaTonya M. Taylor; his son, Roddrick Taylor (Gail); his stepson, Trevino Beasley (Kelsey); his stepdaughter, La’Tatiana Beasley; his grandchildren, Sophia Crittenden (Duriel), Roddrick Taylor, and Ivy Beasley; his mother-in-law, Juanita Abner; his brother-in-law, Darryle Norton (Tracey); his sister-in-law, Calpurnia Norton (Dave); his great-grandchildren; his special niece, Maya Fowler; his goddaughter; Tiffany Greene Berry (Aaron); special friends, Willie Miller, Dayle Greene, Deacon Reche Wise, and Deacon William Harris; and a host of other cherished family members and friends, too numerous to name.

Special thanks are extended to Avian Home Health LLC, Dr. Arnoldo Jose Peña of Cornerstone Medical Care, Blake High School Class of 1967, St. Luke AME Church and Reverend Kirk and Jaquelyn Bogen.

Visitation will be held on Friday, December 27, 2025, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Ray Williams Funeral Home, 301 N. Howard Avenue, Tampa, FL 33606.

Arrangements entrusted to Ray Williams Funeral Home, Rhodes & Northern, Owners

www.raywilliamsfuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Rev. William "Billy" Taylor, please visit our floral store.