Francis “Taylor” Wilson, age 81, of Mineral Bluff, GA passed away on Sunday, April 9, 2017 at the Life Care Center of Copper Basin in Ducktown, TN. Born on January 2, 1936 in Granville County, NC, he was the son of the late Francis Croxton Wilson and Lula Cole Wilson. He was an Insurance Representative with Western & Southern Life and was a devout member of the First Baptist Church of McCaysville/Copperhill where he had served on the personnel committee as well as being a director of the church. He was known as “Sunshine” for his laid back personality and faultless outlook on everyone he met. He was an avid NASCAR fan and North Carolina Tar Heel fan. Taylor and Jan loved the North Georgia Mountains and decided Fannin County was the best place to live in retirement. Taylor enjoyed gardening, building rock walls, and tending to his koi fish and goldfish. He will be greatly missed by two poodles, Bella and Rambo.

He is survived by his loving wife of 42 years, Janice Hosea Wilson; daughters, Susan (Donnie) Finlen and Miranda (Andrew) Young; brothers, Wayne (Sandra) Wilson and Doug (Brenda) Wilson; two grandchildren, Brandon (Kimmy) Finlen and Brent Finlen; two great grandchildren, Kendon Finlen and Liam Finlen; and a host of nieces and nephews, family and friends.

Funeral services will be conducted on Thursday, April 13, 2017, at 2:00 pm from the First Baptist Church of McCaysville/Copperhill with Rev. Matthew McDaniel officiating. Interment will follow in Crestlawn Cemetery with the following gentlemen serving as pallbearers: Ryan Siler, David Mathis, Leroy Rigdon, David Brooks, Doug Davenport, and David Bryson. The family will visit with friends at the funeral home on Wednesday evening from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church of McCaysville/Copperhill Capital Improvements Fund (P.O. Box 867 McCaysville, GA 30555) or to Amedisys Hospice (614 Congress Parkway North Athens, TN 37303). Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.akinsfuneralhome.com. Akins Funeral Home of Blue Ridge is in charge of the arrangements.