Samuel Smith Taylor

Samuel Smith Taylor, known as "Sam" to his friends, went to be with the Lord on July 22, 2025 at the age of 76. He fought valiantly for many years against a stroke and later cancer. Sam was the second child of Kingsport Attorney Preston H. Taylor, Sr., and Isabel Smith Taylor.

Being a multi-generational native of Kingsport, Tennessee, Sam truly loved his community. He was a lifelong supporter of many organizations and schools including Lincoln Elementary, Kingsport Gem and Mineral Society, Kingsport Bass Club, Kingsport Chamber of Commerce, Kingsport Moose Club, and First Baptist Church of Kingsport. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in history and political science from East Tennessee State University in 1972 and also a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts in 1973, where he excelled in pottery and painting. In 1977, he received his Juris Doctorate from the Nashville School of Law, Nashville, Tennessee.

At the age of 17, Sam found one of the most complete Megalonix skeletons discovered in the United States. This discovery was placed in the Smithsonian Museum and can be visited at one of its satellite museums in Saltville, Virginia. He was also an avid spelunker, fossil hunter, and amateur gemologist. When in good health, he loved to hunt, fish, and travel. He was a world traveler and had been on many cruises and visited 27 countries where he was an avid collector of art and artifacts. He loved his trips to the Cayman Islands where he visited his good friends Lovesa Welds and David Hedberg. The West Bay side of The Cayman Islands is famous for black limestone deposits; this region is actually named Hell, Grand Cayman. Sam would send as many post cards as possible from Hell, Grand Cayman and loved to quip that, “I have been to Hell and back many times and recommended the trip.” Sam loved interacting with people of different cultures and nations. He was an avid collector of art and artifacts. He had a true zest for life and was a gregarious extravert. He loved to tell jokes and liked to laugh.

Sam was baptized at an early age and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Kingsport.

He had an incredible artistic talent and had pieces of his art work displayed in many art shows in Tennessee and Florida. He mastered all forms of fine art including pottery, painting, photography, lithography, and sculpture. In addition to his own massive art collection, he loved collecting art from many other artists and visiting art museums all over the world.

Sam was preceded in death by his parents, Preston and Isabel Taylor; and his sister, Linda Ann Taylor.

He is survived by his only child, Tiffany Taylor Owen, and her husband William E. Owen, Jr.; granddaughter, Allison Isabel Owen, all of Kingsport; brother, Preston Taylor, Jr., and his wife Beth Grayson Taylor of Bristol, TN; niece, Dr. Stacy Bennetts and spouse Liam of Augusta, GA; nephew, Preston Taylor, III and spouse Dr. Whitney Taylor of Bristol, TN; great nephews, Brady and Austin Bennetts of Augusta, GA and Preston Taylor, IV, and Braxton Taylor of Bristol, TN.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 25, 2025, at Oak Hill Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Gray Fossil Museum, 1212 Suncrest Dr., Gray, TN.