Ralph William Taylor, Sr., age 80, of 135 Woodrow Avenue, St. Clairsville, Ohio, died Thursday, September 16, 2004 at Bell Nursing Home, Morristown.

He was born August 15, 1924 at St. Clairsville, son of the late Benjamin and Wanda McKnight Taylor.

Ralph retired from Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation?s Martins Ferry Plant in 1978; he was a U. S. Navy veteran of World War II; a member of the First Christian Church at St. Clairsville; a member of the American Legion Post # 159 at St. Clairsville and former volunteer for the St. C. V.F.D.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Elizabeth Reed Taylor; a brother, Benjamin Taylor and a sister, Pearl Davis.

Surviving are a son, Ralph W. Taylor, Jr. and his wife, Coralyn of St. Clairsville; two daughters, Elizabeth Ann Taylor and Linda Sue Byrne and her husband Jack all of St. Clairsville; three grandchildren, Crystal Johnson and Amber Byrne both of St. Clairsville and Eric Taylor of Barnesville; a great grandson, Logan Johnson; a brother, Don Taylor of Xenia, Ohio; two sisters, Elsie Pieffer of Dayton, Ohio and Bertha Brown of San Antonio, Texas; two step grandchildren and two step great grandsons.

Family and friends will be received on Sunday from 1 to 3 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Toothman Funeral Home in St. Clairsville, where services will be held on Monday, September 20, 2004 at 1 p.m. Burial will follow at Union Cemetery, St. Clairsville, Ohio.