Karl Taylor passed away February 28, 2026, in Denison, Texas.  He was born on September 23, 1962, to Janie and Roger Taylor.  Karl grew up as the eldest of six children in Fannin County, later attending Princeton High School.  He described his childhood home as an animal menagerie and enjoyed sharing stories of their unusual pets, including peacocks, turkeys, and a family of skunks.

Karl married Tanya Rhea Roach in August, 1992 and raised two children, James and Megan.  At 6'5" he was affectionately known as the "gentle giant" with an empathetic heart and a dry sense of humor that remained even on the hardest days.  Of the several jobs he had, Karl most enjoyed his work as a computer lab teacher in Dallas.  He also nurtured a lifelong love of reading and creative writing facilitating an online writing group that published a collection of short stories, including one of his own.  He leaves behind several bookshelves of beloved mysteries, fantasy, and sci-fi novels.  His passion for creating unique characters reflected his love of people and the stories we all build each day through our lives themselves.

Karl was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Konrad Taylor and Klaus Taylor.

Karl is survived by Tanya Taylor, his children, James Lucus Taylor and Megan Byrd (Jonathan), grandson, Daniel Oliver Byrd, his siblings, Kris, Kurt, and Karla and a large extended family.

The family would like to express their gratitude to the physicians and other carers who supported Karl these last few years with their expertise and friendly banter that he enjoyed at each visit.  In particular, they thank Dr. Alexander and the staff at Apex Wound Care; Drs. Tarpoco and Whittington at the Grayson County Health clinic; Dr, Swami, Alicia Payne at Hanger Clinic; and Dori Poe and Brind Tillery at Pathways Palliative Care.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Home Hospice of Grayson County for ensuring that Karl remained comfortable in his final days.

Friends and family are welcome to attend a celebration of life for Karl on Friday, March 20th, from 1 PM - 3 PM at Waterloo Lake Building, 1000 Waterloo Lake Dr., Denison, TX 75020.