Together Forever
An older couple stood at the docks eagerly awaiting my arrival. Pulling up to the launch I was surprised to hear a shout out from the lady, “you are late, Captain Richard.” I thought to myself, two minutes late is late? Well I was late…
An Introduction
John & Joan Taylor
Joan was decked out in fishing attire with a brimmed hat tied around her neck; when she spoke, I knew to be on my toes, she was a women to be reckoned with.
As we begin pulling away from the docks John, Joan and I starting conversing. Right from the start, we knew we liked each other and the day began to unfold with the beginning of a long friendship.


It’s been fun sharing stories and imagining this couple as young, spirited college students meeting while John was at Bowman Gray School of Medicine and Joan attending NC Baptist School of Nursing. Early on they both had a sense of adventure to live out their lives to the fullest. After graduating, they married in December of 1956 and their life together began as one great adventure.
Early on having a family, working and keeping up with the daily routines in life, John and Joan stayed involved enjoying the outdoors doing a lot of hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting. Today they continue to carry on these activities with their eleven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. I have had the privilege of having a few of their family members on board.
The countless trips fishing together seem to get better and better over the decades. John and Joan don’t let the number in years hold them back. I remember Joan telling Gina a year or two ago, “we are no worse for wear, but not much better either.” I smile and say to myself, “we will be fishing together until the end.”
Thank you, John and Joan, for being a part of mine and Gina’s life.