Born the day before "Black Tuesday", James Ray ("Jim") never met a challenge he did not face head on with creativity, determination, faith and a notoriously dry sense of humor. Jim fiercely loved and was loved by his surviving wife, Maureen, of over 60 years, his 3 children and their spouses, David and Marcy Taylor, Jim Taylor and Shannon and Tom Rusnak and his five grandchildren, Sam and Abby Taylor, Taylor and Summer Rusnak and Matt Taylor. A native of Shreveport, LA, born to and preceded in death by, Aylmer Boyd Taylor and Claudia Ray Starr, he was raised in Winnfield, LA and Alexandria, LA. He graduated from LSU with a degree in Civil Engineering in 1951 and forevermore was rarely found without his LSU ring or a splash of purple and gold. His interests included tennis, golf, running (having completed two White Rock Marathons), fishing and restoration of cars. Flying, though, was his ultimate passion. Unbeknownst to his mother, he sold his bedroom furniture at the age of 16 to take his first flying lessons and joined the U.S. Air Force ("USAF") as a fighter pilot after graduation from LSU. While in the USAF, he flew the F84 and F86, once even "buzzing" the women's dorm at LSU. Jim spoke fondly of his time in the USAF with the tales getting "taller" as the years went by. During this time, he met Maureen Shannon on a blind date at an LSU football game. Jim recognized love when he found a beautiful Louisiana woman who was smart as a whip, loved hunting, fishing and LSU football games. He asked her to marry him four dates and ten days later; they were married within three months. After the USAF, Jim worked as a Flight Test Engineer in California and Ft. Worth, TX where he flight-tested the F100 and the B58. While flying in the B58, Jim was officially recognized as the 61st member of the Mach 2 Club, an esteemed group of airmen who had flown at a velocity exceeding twice the speed of sound. Jim later received his Master's in Engineering from SMU and his MBA from Pepperdine. He was eventually principal owner of QDT, Inc. which manufactured for the commercial HVAC industry. Through this business, he and Maureen enjoyed traveling the world and making new friends throughout. Jim continued with his passion for flying during his adult life with a series of acrobatic airplanes. He thoroughly enjoyed taking friends and family for hammerhead stalls and barrel rolls. With Jim's loyalty and his genuine nature, he maintained friendships from throughout all stages of his life. There was a "Jim-ism" for most every occasion. Just a few: "Home is where you hang your hat;" "You can only live in one room at a time;" "If you eat standing by the kitchen sink, it doesn't count;" and, "Never pass up a tamale." A funeral Mass will be celebrated by Fr. Michal at St. Rita Catholic Church 12521 Inwood Rd., Dallas, TX 75244 at 11:00 AM Saturday, September 1st. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Dallas Area Parkinsonism Society.