“The cows were always happy to see me,” was something Joe Taylor often said, and really we were all always happy to see him. 
Joe Clinton Taylor left us for the next world early in the morning on June 14, 2023, surrounded by his loving family.
Born March 28, 1942 in Durant, Okla., to Luther Clinton Taylor and Virena Parker Taylor, Joe attended Cobb Public School (then Bokchito) where his dad was the superintendent before moving into the Durant school system.
At age 13, he met Margaret Byers who would become the love of his life, and later he fought forest fires in Oregon to save money for her engagement ring, until he could marry her at age 21. On June 8, 2023 they celebrated an incredible 60 years of marriage, having hamburgers and champagne for their meal.
Joe graduated from Durant High School, then attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University before transferring to Oklahoma State University, where he earned a degree in Political Science. In 1968, he graduated The University of Oklahoma College of Law and became Bryan County’s first Special District Judge in 1969 at age 26. He served as Associate District- and District Judge for years and in 1993 became an Appellate Judge, eventually retiring in 2005 after sitting on the Oklahoma Court of Civic Appeals. Beyond his service to the State of Oklahoma he served as a Choctaw Tribal Court Supreme Court Justice from 1979 to 1983 and also served the Seminole Nation and Sac and Fox Nation as a Justice of their supreme courts until May 2023.
Joe truly loved the law and though generally humble, prided himself in his ability to be objective, impartial, and fair. No matter who you were, you were treated the same when you walked into his courtroom. He rarely needed to use his gavel, and his love of the law was never swayed, even when he received death threats from “unhappy customers.” 
Joe was a proud member of the United States Army Reserve. An active member, he started as a Private E-2 until 1967, then moved into the Army Reserves as a member of the JAG Corps, finally retiring as a Lt. Colonel in 1995 after 30 years of service.
With his beloved wife Margaret he fathered the joys of his life, daughters Marna, Leah, and Jocelyn, who would alternately call him “Da” (daw) or simply “Daddy.” He and Margaret created a home filled with music, passing on this love to his daughters who created a band called Daughters of Justice, the name paying homage to both his and his wife’s careers in law. Joe played the bongos and sang bass as he and Margaret entertained many people throughout the years with many songs, a favorite being their rendition of “Smokey Joe’s Café.”
Though most of us know and respect him as a judge, the most important things Joe was, in his own handwriting in his personal bible, were as follows and in order: Christian, Husband, Father, Son, Rancher, Army Reserve Lt. Colonel, Judge.
Even though he was a well-read intellectual, Joe often spoke in a “down home” fashion, with colorful axioms and idioms. One of his favorites was: “If ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ were candy and nuts, we’d all have a merry Christmas.” Another was “They can get glad in the same pants they got mad in.” And he’d say them with his slightly-slanted smile and a twinkle in his kind eyes.
A long-time fan of OU football, this Boomer Sooner had season tickets since the 1960s. Such a fan, he even owned a piece of the last wooden goalpost used in the OU/Texas game. 
He loved making music, listening to Margaret play the piano, hearing his girls sing, laughing with friends and family, his cows, Chautauqua, NY where he spent 40 summers, the law, mentoring young lawyers, a good hamburger (Geo’s Drive-In preferred), and a good bowl of chili.
Bible passages Joe often turned to for inspiration and perseverance were Proverbs 8:17, 8:20, and Micah 6:8.
Joe is survived by his wife Margaret, daughters Marna (Brad Pemberton), Leah, and Jocelyn Taylor, all of Nashville, older brother Terry (Renee) Taylor of Delaware, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. His roots run deep in Bryan County.
On Tuesday, June 14, flags at the Bryan County Courthouse were flown at half-mast in honor of Judge Taylor.
The family would like to express their deep gratitude to the Team at Vanderbilt University Medical Center who over last three years gave Joe incredible care and attention that went above and beyond.
If you would like to honor Judge Joe Taylor, please consider donating to one of these organizations:
The Oklahoma Bar Association Foundation: okbarassociation.org
The Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band: giving.oufoundation.org
Dry Bones Denver: drybonesdenver.org
A celebration of his life will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 23, 2023, at The Chapel at The Bell Tower in Durant , with burial to follow at Highland Cemetery of Durant. He will lay in state for people to pay their respects on Thursday, June 22, 2023, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Services are under the direction of Brown’s Funeral Service of Durant.
