Charley was born on March 8, 1936, in Van Raub, Texas, but lived most of his life in Boerne. He was the oldest son of Raphael “Bob” and Leealla “Babe” Taylor (both deceased); the younger brother to his beloved sister, Nadine Taylor Cunningham; and the older brother to Johnny Taylor and Gloria “Turvey” Shafer.

At that time, the Hill Country was just that — country. He attended Van Raub Elementary School for grades 1-4, where they had 13 students, 7 grades and one teacher all in one classroom. By the fifth grade, Van Raub and Boerne had consolidated and he became a proud Greyhound.

It was during this time he joined FFA but it was his love of sports that blossomed — football, track and baseball — but mostly baseball. It was a passion that would follow him throughout his life as a player, coach, scout and avid spectator. He credited his love of the game to coaches Hal “Crump” Crumpton and Wayne Sigler.

After graduating Boerne High School in 1954 in a class of 27 students, he attended Sul Ross College in Alpine, Texas, on a partial baseball scholarship and worked at the Holland Hotel as a waiter for the rest of his room and board.

With some help from family friend Jake Beasley, he transferred to the University of Texas and joined the Longhorn baseball team on scholarship, where he played as a shortstop in the Taylor

1957 College World Series. It was during his time at UT that he married his high school sweetheart Esther Herms (Harllee) in 1958. Even with the dimming effects of dementia, he would still recount those days in Austin, living in a one-room apartment and Friday nights spent enjoying a plate of Mexican food at their favorite dive followed by a pitcher of beer at Schultz’s Bier Garden. He would still laugh about how they survived on her salary of $25 a week.

On the weekends, they would load up their old clunker and return to Boerne so he could help around the family’s ranch building fences and cutting cedar. They would always come back to Austin with more venison and his mom’s latest batch of dumplings and fried chicken.

After attaining a bachelor’s degree in geology, he planned to seek employment in the oil industry in Saudi Arabia. When the “bottom fell out” of oil, he turned to teaching and taught high school mathematics.

During this time, his love of baseball continued to grow. For years he played for the Boerne White Sox and other minor league teams; he probably played in every amateur league park between Austin and Del Rio (and may have gotten into more than a few fights in those parks, too).

In 1961, Charley and Esther welcomed their first child, Cynthia “Cy” Taylor Vlasek, who was the first grandchild on both sides of the family and beloved daughter. His only son, Raphael “Rafe” Taylor, was born in 1967.

Even though the marriage soon ended, their children remained the mortar that bound those bricks together.

After remarrying, Charley continued his education at night

March 8, 1936 — April 20, 2024

and attained a master’s degree in education from Trinity University while he also worked full-time, coaching middle school athletics, from football to swimming.

Then he began coaching baseball, his true love, at Burbank High School in San Antonio. In his second year, the team won its first district championship. He also coached baseball at MacArthur High School and later at Judson High School.

During these years, the teams won two district championships and a bi-district championship. Just a few years ago he hosted a reunion where many of the players whose lives he touched attended; he loved being called “Coach Taylor.”

In 1978, Charley began buying and selling real estate, ultimately owning a large number of rental homes in San Antonio. He tried his luck in the oil industry around the time J.R. Ewing was a cultural hit, but his first try was a dry hole which led him back into teaching — this time biology, chemistry and physical science.

Throughout his years of coaching and selling real estate, he was also a baseball scout for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Texas Rangers. Although maybe just for Rafe’s sake, he would later say that he thought Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros was one of the best players he had ever watched. If he wasn’t scouting, he would be watching whatever games he could find on TV or otherwise.

In 1992 he retired from teaching and just sold real estate and worked as a real estate broker while raising his Angora goats on his ranch on the outskirts of Boerne. He was continually recognized as a distinguished salesman for multiple years.

Throughout his lifetime he was an avid deer hunter and enjoyed hunting elk in New Mexico and Colorado. In fact, other than Boerne, his favorite place was Ruidoso, New Mexico.

He also had numerous dogs that he loved like his own children that surely met him upon his arrival in Heaven. Importantly, he was a 60-year plus member of the Kendall Masonic Lodge #897 A.F. & A.M.

Charley is survived by his daughter, Cy Vlasek (Dennis); his son, Rafe Taylor; his granddaughters, Samantha Vlasek and Nicole Taylor (Trenton); his great-grandsons, Hunter (“Buck Hunter”) Kohl and Tyler Wheeler; his great-granddaughter, Teagan Taylor; as well as many other family members and friends.

The family would like to thank the caregivers and staff at Care-Choice of Boerne for their loving and outstanding care of “Dad/ Pawpaw” for the last few years. He would joke (and flirt) with every nurse who came to see him, frequently asking them if the medicine was going to make him more handsome or rich — some things never change ...

And thank you for enduring his tales of grandeur of his children and grandchildren’s accomplishments. He was truly proud of his family in the end and said they were his greatest accomplishment.

In lieu of flowers, the family would ask if you would like to honor Charley, please give a donation in his name to the Hill Country SPCA, at: https://www. hillcountryspca.com/donate, or an animal rescue agency of your choice.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of the staff of Holt & Holt Funeral Home of Boerne. To share words of comfort with the family, visit: www.holtfh.com.