Corey Taylor was a young man with a promising future. He was moving up at work, taking on a leadership role at the age of 25. He was well liked, with some who knew him describing him as smart, funny and “full of energy.” But Taylor’s future was cut short by a motorcycle accident that took his life on Aug. 21.
Jimmy Guidetti, a colleague at Spectra Contract Flooring where Taylor has been promoted to field superintendent, said, “It was great that such a young person was showing real promise and leadership in the business and taking on so much responsibility. He was smart, moving ahead. He was fun to be around. He will be greatly missed by me and everyone who knew him.”
Corey William Taylor, 25, was born on June 21, 1991, to James and Valerie Taylor in Shalimar, Fla. The Taylors moved to Johns Creek in 2000. Taylor’s family said he was born 11 weeks prematurely in 1991 and spent the first eight weeks of his life in intensive care fighting to survive. But as he grew, Taylor showed no signs of his “preemie” beginning. He trained as a fire explorer in high school in the Fire Academy of Braselton, Ga., where he earned the title of captain in his senior year. He was in the first class to graduate from the new Johns Creek High School in 2010.
In September 2010, Taylor graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Training at Parris Island, S.C. Although he did not make a career in the Marines, benefits from the training, including character building, teamwork and physical strength, remained with him. Taylor pursued an array of outdoor activities, including indulging his love of fishing.
He learned the tile-installation trade working alongside his father in the family business, Taylored Tile. He later began working with Spectra Contract Flooring, a division of Berkshire Hathaway, in 2013. At Spectra, he became a knowledgeable and respected field superintendent, working on large, complex commercial flooring installations throughout the Southeast.
“Corey was a bright and great young man, full of energy,” said colleague Jeff Burch. “All of us at Spectra were very proud of him in the way he handled himself on the jobs he oversaw. On a personal level, my family and I were proud that we got to know him and spend time with him. We loved him as one of our own, and we will miss him.”
In addition to Taylor’s parents, survivors include a sister, Savannah Taylor of Atlanta; grandparents Don and Bette Heapy of Shalimar, Fla.; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
A celebration of Corey Taylor’s life was held at North Point Community Church in Alpharetta on Sept. 1. In lieu of flowers, the family asked that donations be made to Ronald McDonald House Charities or the Children’s Miracle Network.
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