Edward Taylor served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

He died March 18, 2012, at Germantown Home. He was 98.

At an early age, he attended White Oak Springs Baptist Church in Franklin, Va., which he supported for many years. He attended the public schools there.

His family said he often spoke of how his mother and grandmother influenced him and how he learned to lean on the Lord.

While in Virginia, Taylor married Millie Washington Taylor in 1937 and from this union one son was born. Frederick preceded him in death. He next married Ethel Taylor and Annie Martin Taylor and lived in Philadelphia. After Annie’s death, he married Marion Tilghman Taylor in 1975 and soon afterwards relocated to Wilmington, Del.

Prior to joining the Army, Taylor worked in several positions, including as a cook at Homeopathic Hospital Association of Delaware in Wilmington. He then joined the Army during World War II, where he served as chief cook feeding 400 men regularly.

After his military service, he was employed by Westington Electric (now Lucent Technologies) as an elevator operator and then as a chauffeur driving their executives around the Philadelphia area. He received many accolades from all of the positions he held. He retired in 1978.

As a young Philadelphian, Taylor served as block captain for many years for the 2400 block of Bouvier Street receiving the Citizenship Award for Outstanding Community Service from Schmidt’s of Philadelphia in 1960.

After the death of his last wife Marion in 2002, he relocated to Franklin, Va., and then back to Philadelphia in 2005 to his old neighborhood. He lived in North Philly until he was committed to Germantown Home in January 2010.

Taylor joined Foster Memorial Baptist Church and enjoyed participating in the ministry activities along with his adopted family, the Reids.

His family said he was a fine dresser and never went out unless everything matched from head to toe. He loved beautiful cars and beautiful women.

His older sister Connie preceded him in death.

Taylor is survived by his biological nieces Nancy, Gester, Odessa, and nephew Clinton, many other relatives; his adopted niece, Doris Combs, along with the Reid family; his special friends, John Byrd of Madison, Wis. and Robert Dillon of Greenboro, N.C.

Services were held April 6 at Foster Memorial Baptist Church, 2401 North 18th St. Walter E. Sabbath Jr. Funeral Services handled the arrangements.