Jacob "Jake" Nolan Taylor

Nothing could have ever prepared us for the tragedy that ensued on Sunday, February 13, 2022, a day that will forever be remembered as a devastating loss for the entire Down East community. Today and forever more we will mourn the loss of Jacob “Jake” Nolan Taylor, who unexpectedly lost his life alongside seven others who were returning from a youth and veteran duck hunting weekend. Jake spent his final days surrounded by his dearest lifelong friends, doing exactly what he loved.

Jake was born at Carteret General Hospital on December 21, 2005, to Billy Taylor and Andrea Guthrie. He was Life Scout of Boy Scout Troop 252 of Davis. Jake was a sophomore at East Carteret High School where he was a member of the soccer team and the FFA. He attended Atlantic Missionary Baptist Church and was baptized by Pastor Adam Self in 2020.

Jake was a young man with innumerable talents and endless ideas, whose soul was bursting with creativity from the moment he could talk. Jake had a passion and talent for just about every artistic medium you could think of. Whether he was inventing new comic book characters, making stop-motion animations, writing award-winning poetry, or learning to play the banjo, you could always trust that he would discover a new way to impress you. Jake was the king of competition and never shied away from a challenge. You could always find him playing cards with his Gammy and Pa, dominating at corn hole, or beating everyone in a board game he created.

Jake’s ambition and hard-working nature were evident to everyone who met him. No dream was ever too big for him to tackle. When he wasn’t Facetiming his best friends or exercising for soccer, Jake could be found working on his strategy for becoming a world-famous Youtuber, planning his dual animation studio and light-bulb company “Jake Industries,” or figuring out just how he could get his hands on a catamaran to sail to Florida. Jake’s happy place was the outdoors, no matter the time of year. In the summer, he loved basking in the sun, whether he be at the beach, by the pool, or mowing lawns with his aunt Bean. In the fall, he could be found in a deer blind, out in the woods with friends, or on Boy Scout camping trips with his dad.

Anyone who was lucky enough to meet Jake will tell you how struck they were by his unadulterated kindness. A million words could be written to describe just how genuine Jake was, but they could never come close to capturing how truly pure his heart was. Whether you met him for five minutes or knew him for fifteen years, he was sure to touch your life in a profound way. Jake was never afraid to tell you how much he loved you and would never let you forget how effortlessly funny he was.

He is survived by his mother and step-father, Andrea Guthrie and Gene Guthrie of Atlantic, as well as his father and step-mother, Billy Taylor and Judy Willis of Atlantic; his sisters, Avery Taylor and fiancé Zane Weekman of Buies Creek, Robin Malcolm and Samantha Salter of Moncks Corner; his brothers, Dustin Taylor and wife Suzanne of Greenville, Bailey Willis of the home; maternal grandparents, Lennie and Andy Saunders of Atlantic; paternal grandmother, Susan Salter of Atlantic; aunts, Jennifer “Bean” Stinnett and husband Richie, and Jamie Taylor; and cousins, Jordan Stinnett, Shannon Baker, Gregory Taylor and wife Morgan.

Jake was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Everette Salter.

Our family would like to express our sincere gratitude for the outpouring of love, support, and sympathy from the community as we navigate this extremely difficult time.

Jake’s funeral service will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at Atlantic Missionary Baptist Church, officiated by Pastor Adam Self, Pastor Nelson Koonce, and Mrs. Roxie Gardner. The family will receive friends after the service. The service will be live streamed at Atlantic Elementary School Auditorium and will also be available on Jake's obituary page on Munden Funeral Home’s website.  (See link below for the Service Bulletin including the Order of Service.)

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jake's memory to Friends of Scouting, P.O. Box 822, Williston, NC 28589 or the Atlantic Missionary Baptist Church, P.O Box 194, Atlantic, NC 28511.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory in Morehead City, NC.