Roy Jackson Taylor Jr.'s Obituary
Roy Jackson Taylor, Jr., known to all as Jackson, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on September 3, 2025, just days before his 66th birthday.
Born on September 21, 1959, in Houston, Texas, Jackson grew up in Tulsa, where he attended Byrd Middle School, Memorial High School, and Jenks High School before attending Oklahoma State University. Following in the footsteps of his parents, both proud OSU graduates, Jackson developed a lifelong love for Stillwater and the community his family helped shape.
Jackson met the love of his life, Adria, while both were working at Anthony’s in Stillwater. They married in 1988 and shared nearly 40 years together. Above all else, Jackson’s life was defined by his devotion to his children — Logan, Dylan, and Katie — and his pride in every one of their endeavors.
Sports were always part of Jackson’s life. He played baseball himself growing up, and as a father, most family vacations were centered around supporting his children’s sporting events — youth baseball, Jenks football and cheer, and competitive volleyball. He built batting cages and pitching mounds, coached countless games, and cheered for his kids at hundreds of ballparks. The boys often played 100 games of competitive baseball in a single year, while Katie’s cheerleading with Jenks football gave him and Adria cherished weekends in the stands with friends, cheering on the whole community. Even after their own playing days, Jackson and Adria enjoyed watching their sons coach competitive travel baseball teams, a legacy of mentorship he was proud to see continue.
Baseball remained central, from backyard games to watching his sons reach the highest levels of competition, with one playing throughout the New York Mets organization. Beyond sports, he loved simple joys — afternoons in the backyard pool, his little dogs curled in his lap, and a cold Coors Light in hand. His friends knew him as a rocker who loved all kinds of music, with a heart that was softer than his tough exterior let on.
Jackson is remembered as a man of quiet strength, determination, and deep kindness — tough on the outside, soft-hearted within. He worked tirelessly to support his family and left a legacy of faith, love, and steadfast commitment to his children.
He is survived by his wife, Adria Taylor; his children, Logan, Dylan, and Katie Taylor; his mother, LaNore Taylor Hays; and a host of extended family and friends who loved him dearly. He was preceded in death by his father, Roy Jackson “Jack” Taylor, Sr., and his sister, Alison Taylor.
Jackson will be laid to rest at Fairlawn Cemetery in Stillwater, alongside his father and sister, in the town that held so much of his family’s history and heart.
Services will be held on September 19, 2025, at 11am at Floral Havens Rose Chapel with music and memories that celebrate the life of a husband, father, and friend who will never be forgotten.
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