Paula Merritt / The Meridian StarFirefighters remove the casket of former Meridian Fire Chief Joseph Taylor from a fire engine Wednesday as they prepare for funeral services at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens Wednesday.

Joseph (Joe) Taylor, was a soft spoken, fair and gentle man.

The former Meridian fire chief was remembered by family and friends during funeral services Wednesday at Barham Funeral Home. Mr. Taylor, 67, passed away Saturday at Brookdale Senior Living Center.

A lifelong resident of Meridian, Mr. Taylor served as a firefighter and later as fire chief from 1987 to 1995. He was also a state-certified smoke diver.

Retired Meridian Fire Chief Tim Miller said while Mr. Taylor was soft- spoken, he meant business.

“He promoted me to captain and battalion chief, and was probably one of the fairest people I have ever worked for – a really good guy,” said Miller, who started working with Mr. Taylor in 1982. “You respected the fact he could get things done in a different way. That was one of the things that set him apart.

“He also had a desire for education, and was very intelligent and always on top of things, wanting to learn more.”

Meridian Fire Chief Anthony Clayton remembers Mr. Taylor as a transitional chief.

“He handled the department well, and was the transition between the old chiefs and the modern chiefs,” Clayton said. “He got the department headed into the technology age as far as firefighting, and we have been progressing ever since. I really hate that he is gone, he was a good fireman and chief, and didn’t cause any hate or discontent in the department. He had a vision to move us forward and he succeeded in doing that.”

After his retirement from the fire department, Mr. Taylor was employed as an accountant for the state of Mississippi. In his later years, he enjoyed rehabilitating homes.

Glenn Boyette, a co-worker and friend, said Mr. Taylor was a good person, hard worker, valued team member, and will be missed.

“I worked at the tax commission with him until he left in 2006,” Boyette said. “We did some projects together, and with our jobs we had to travel together some. We also did some outside work together, and when he started his business of flipping homes, I kind of helped him with his first one. He was a good friend to me, better than I was to him, and remembered me right up to the end.”

“He was a special guy and could do almost anything,” Boyette said. “But most of all he was proud of his service to his country, city, and the state.”

Mr. Taylor’s son Josh remembered his father for his kindness and generosity.

“He went out of his way to help people, fixing their car or something at their house,” the younger Taylor said. “He was mild-mannered, and everyone we spoke to this week said he was the nicest man they have ever known.”

Mr. Taylor was a graduate of Meridian High School. He also attended Meridian Community College and received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Mississippi State University.

Shortly after graduating high school, he joined the United States Army where he served in Germany, as well as a combat tour in Vietnam.