Thurman “T” Taylor came to Chowan in the spring of 1964, after serving in the U.S. Army for nearly four years. T, a native of nearby Plymouth, N.C., joined the Army directly after graduating from Plymouth High School. T was a letter winning football player but shelved his talents to serve his country.
While stationed at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, T was a member of the 101st Airborne Division. He was also able to participate in athletics while in the army and played with his fellow paratroopers in football, lacrosse, and track.
After his service in the Army, T decided to return closer to home and in the spring of 1964 entered the campus of then-Chowan College. Coach Garrison took to the maturity and toughness of the former Army member and named him a captain. He started at defensive end under Assistant Coach Jerry Hawkins’ defense. In addition to his two years on the gridiron, T participated in Track and Field for the then-Braves.
He was also a very good student who was invited to join Phi Theta Kappa honor society. Family responsibilities prevented him from furthering his football playing career. He had scholarship offers from several four year colleges but had to go to work to help support his family.
While working in Louisiana, he attended Nicholls State and got a B.S. in secondary education. He took a teaching and coaching job while also continuing his education at night. After getting his B.S. from Nicholls State, he continued on to receive a M.S. in Psychology. Family obligations once again were a top priority and while he was in education, he trained as a Liquid Drilling Engineer. Later, he took a job in the oil fields but still continued to stay connected to the community through coaching. He also worked with troubled youth at a Louisiana counseling center.
Currently T and his wife Kim live in Stella, Missouri where they own and operate a small black angus cattle farm. T has four children from a previous marriage: Thor, Remy, Caesar, and Liberty.
