John W. Taylor, III, 54, of Stone Mountain, Ga., formerly of Erie, transitioned on Saturday, August 13, 2011 at the VA Medical Center in Atlanta, Ga. He was born in Erie on July 9, 1957, son of the late John W. and Mary P. Taylor, Jr. He graduated from Strong Vincent High School and was a star quarterback for the Strong Vincent Colonels. John also played basketball and baseball, having played all sports since Little League. He also enjoyed playing ping pong and pool. He attended Gannon University and graduated from Edinboro University of Pa., and the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. He was a licensed minister and a licensed funeral director, and ran the former John W. Taylor, Jr. Funeral Home for several years. John was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and was honorably discharged as a disabled veteran. He was an avid student of Kabbalah and Hebrew. John did a lot of traveling in the U.S. and internationally, including living in Israel while he did additional studies. John will be dearly missed by family and friends. John is survived by six sisters, Jo Taylor Johnson, Valerie Taylor, Vickie Taylor of Erie, Sandy Taylor (Harvey Mattox) of Atlanta, Ga. Monique Taylor Morris (George) of Rochester, N.Y., and Toni Farmer (Al) of Yonkers, N.Y.; and a brother, Brent Taylor (Kathleen) of Erie, Pa. He also leaves several aunts, an uncle and many nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and friends. Family and friends are invited to attend a funeral service and acknowledgement of military service at Erie County Memorial Gardens, 7880 Edinboro Rd., Erie, Pa. on Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 1 p.m. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Law Funeral Home, 2926 Pine Ave., Erie, PA 16504.