James Norton Taylor

On the evening of Saturday July 29th, our beloved father, husband, and friend James Taylor’s heart stopped beating. It was rainy summer night followed by a warm, gentle morning. Jim was a brilliant, passionate, deeply loving man who enjoyed his beautiful life. He was known for his strength, wisdom, and great sense of humor. He had a profound philosopher’s mind and loved to talk for hours with friends and family about life. He was a deep soul who had strong morals and demonstrated a commitment to God and his family and friends throughout his life. 

James was born in Washington, D.C. on January 24th, 1959 and went to Foran High School in Milford, Connecticut. He studied civil engineering at Virginia Tech and received his Master’s of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. During this time, he met the love of his life Cheryl Burgess and married her in 1986. Upon completing his degree, he planted a small church called Londonderry Chapel in Londonderry, NH. He served as pastor for the congregation from 1986-1991. In 1991 he then decided to pursue his engineering degree by becoming a real estate developer. 

Jim spent majority of his life in his home he built on an apple orchard, next to a pond with his soulmate Cheryl, children, and grandchildren. He enjoyed watching football and playing chess. It was never quiet at the Taylor residence. Love and joy echoed throughout the house along with the wind howling through the windows. The family’s love for each other was led by Jim and Cheryl’s example. Before Jim died he looked at his daughter and said, ”We’ve had some wild days.” 

He battled cancer for 12 years. During that period, he surpassed doctors’ predicted timelines, originally only giving him 6-12 months to live. He gave hope to others battling cancer and was truly the definition of strength and positivity during a difficult time. He was proud and rarely complained about his pain or situation. 

We, his family: Cheryl (wife), Abigail (daughter), Edward (son-in-law), Theo (grandson), Luna (granddaughter), Nathaniel (son), Olivia (daughter), Ryan (son-in-law), and Ava (granddaughter) are experiencing a heightened feeling of love and pride for James as we grieve deeply our loss. We take comfort in knowing he has been reunited with his son whom he missed dearly, Zachary James Taylor, and his father, James Taylor, in heaven. 

Memorial donations may be made to Center for Gastrointestinal Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Please follow link if you would like to donate: http://danafarber.jimmyfund.org/goto/JamesTaylor