The Voice of Blythewood & Fairfield County

Obituary: Franklin Carroll Taylor

MYRTLE BEACH – Franklin Carroll Taylor, Jr. passed away peacefully at his home with his family on November 10th.  He was born in Bennettsville, SC to the late Alice Leviner Taylor and Franklin Carroll Taylor, Sr.  Carroll is survived by his wife, the love of his life and best friend for 40 years, Joy Taylor, daughter Catherine Williams Butler (Lewis), son Steven Carroll Taylor (Susie), four grandchildren, Drake Taylor, Stokes Taylor, Taylor Rae Williams of Myrtle Beach, Caitlin Strauss Corda (Cameron) of Redwood City, California, a step granddaughter, Brooke Patricia Butler, and one great-granddaughter, Sterling Ivy Corda.  Carroll was predeceased by his brother, Robert G. Taylor, and son-in-law, Jack “Jay” Edward Williams, Jr.

He graduated from Bennettsville, SC High School, where he was an outstanding athlete.  He played in the High School All-State basketball game, was all state in baseball and played in the Florence Tobacco Bowl, an all-star football game.  He attended Erskine College on a basketball-baseball scholarship and was the captain and team MVP his senior year in baseball.  He earned a Masters of Education from Appalachian State University.

Carroll’s career in education spanned six decades.  He taught and coached at Myrtle Beach High School in the early 60’s where his first two J.V. football teams at MBHS were undefeated.  He led the 1964 Lady Hawkettes to a State Championship and guided the boys’ basketball team to the State Championship in 1965.  Carroll was the first Guidance Counselor at Myrtle Beach Junior High, and was the Founding Headmaster of Coastal Academy from 1970-78.  He served as Headmaster of Richard Winn Academy in Winnsboro, SC for 19 years.  After 4 years of retirement, he resumed his career as Guidance Counselor at Palmetto Bays Elementary School in Horry County until 2010.  “Coach” or “Mr. Taylor” as he was known to many, loved his former players and students.  He was a talented educator and coach who had a knack for finding the potential in each of his students and players.

Carroll’s other “profession” was the beach.  He was a lifeguard and the manager of John’s Beach Service for many summers in the 60’s and 70’s.  He loved the beach and felt there was no better tonic than a beautiful day under his umbrella at 62nd Ave.  In his retirement years he mentored many lifeguards, talked to locals, taught tourists beach etiquette, and found thousands of shark’s teeth.

Carroll was a member of First United Methodist Church in Myrtle Beach and a long-time member of First United Methodist Church in Winnsboro.  He served on the Administrative boards of both churches.  He was Past President of the S.C. Headmaster’s Association, V.P. of the S.C. Independent Schools Board, on the SCISA Athletic Committee, in the Winnsboro Rotary Club, President of Fairfield Cotillion Club, a member of Fairfield Country Club, Myrtlewood Golf Club, and The Dunes Golf and Beach Club.  Mr. Taylor was a past member of the SCISA, the National
Education Association, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the SCASSP, the S.C. Association of School Administrators, and the S.C. Coaches Association.

Visitation will be Tuesday, November 14, 2017 from 5:00 PM-7:00 PM at McMillan Small Funeral Home.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017, at 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church of Myrtle Beach.  A reception in the church parlor will immediately follow the service Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church Myrtle Beach Music Fund, The American Cancer Society, or to the charity of one’s choice.

An online guest book is available @msfh.net.