In Memory: Taylor Strickland, 23

Editor's note: the following obituary was submitted by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

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Taylor Strickland, 23, of Alpharetta passed away Sept. 6, 2016 as a result of a fatal car accident while driving to North Carolina for a special project he was working on.

He is the son of Tim and Toni Strickland of Alpharetta, Georgia. Taylor was born in Plantation, Florida, and lived the first 6 years of his life in Pompano Beach. He attended Happy Land Preschool at First Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, and 1st grade at Westminster Academy at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. In 2000 Taylor and his family moved to Alpharetta and into the loving community of Double Gate.

He attended State Bridge Elementary, Autrey Mill Middle School, and Northview High School, transferring to Johns Creek High School when it opened in 2009.

After high school, Taylor attended Florida State University and University of North Georgia, before going to work for his family’s business in the utility services industry.

Taylor was born into and christened at First Presbyterian Church of Fort Lauderdale, and then attended North Point Community Church in Alpharetta throughout the rest of his life. In both churches, even as young as 5 years old Taylor served in missions, feeding and clothing those in need, and travelling for weeks in the summer for mission work to the Dominican Republic (6 years), Estonia (1 year) and Haiti (1 year).

Taylor accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior and was baptized on the beach in the Dominican Republic in 2005. As a sophomore in high school, Taylor volunteered as a student leader and walked with a group of boys through the three years of their middle school Transit experience. Many of Taylor’s charitable traits are undocumented as he did not seek credit for his actions, but instead to bring comfort to others.

Taylor was a Cub Scout, a Boy Scout and eventually an Eagle Scout. He loved the outdoors, camping, fishing, boating, diving, snow boarding, FSU football (Go Noles) and a good joke. He was a Florida-Georgia boy and considered himself a southern man.

He loved God, sweet tea, family and football, good ol’ boys, BBQ, Bass pro, trucks, fishing, NASCAR racing (Dega), baseball caps and country music. Taylor was also a fearless and skilled wrestler beginning in 4th grade and continuing through his senior year of high school.

Taylor is survived by his parents Tim and Toni Strickland. He also leaves his paternal grandparents Allen Strickland of Spartanburg, SC and Sue Harig of Johns Creek, GA and his maternal grandmother Ellen Costanza of Boynton Beach, FL.

He is survived by his uncle Craig Strickland of Clover, SC, his aunt Terri Harris from Melbourne, FL, a cousin Craig Strickland, Jr. of Clover, SC, his girlfriend, Catherine Sharp of Johns Creek, GA, his precious dog Axle, and a host of friends.

A celebration of life ceremony will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016 at 2 p.m. at North Point Community Church, 4350 North Point Parkway, Alpharetta, GA, in “the Attic”.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that you consider donations to the Atlanta Union Mission where Taylor volunteered throughout his life and did his Eagle Scout service project.

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