2004 Deaf Father of the Year
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Billy Taylor 2004 Deaf Father of the Year
The Virginia Association of the Deaf proudly announces Billy Taylor of Hopewell, VA, as the 2004 Deaf Mother of the Year. The Virginia Association of the Deaf recently selected Billy Taylor, Sr., of Hopewell, Virginia, as the Deaf Father of the Year. His wife, Deanna, was recently selected as the Deaf Mother of the Year. This is the first time in VAD’s history that a husband and wife team has received these honors in the same year. Billy Taylor, who was born in Bonny Blue, Virginia and was raised in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, attended the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind in Staunton. Upon his graduation in 1955, Billy became the owner of a shoe repair shop in Ashland, Va. for nine months. Several years later, he took a job as a linotype operator at the Washington Post in Washington, D.C., for 25 years. Later he accepted a position at the US Post Office in Richmond and retired as an Optical Character Reader machinist after 17 years. Billy is an active member of the deaf community. Currently he belongs to the Virginia Association of the Deaf, the Greater Richmond Chapter of VAD (GRCVAD), the Virginia School for the Deaf Alumni Association (VSDAA), and the Richmond Club of the Deaf. He is a GRCVAD board member and a past president of GRCVAD. He is also a VSDAA board member (VSDAA representative) as well as a board member of Richmond Club of the Deaf. He is a past VAD board member. For the past 40 years, Billy has been the devoted husband of Deanna Taylor. The union of this marriage has produced six children and four grandchildren. Billy and Deanna are fortunate to have several of their children living close by them. Billy, Jr., his wife, and their two children live nearby as well as their daughter, Karen of Richmond, and Lily Mountjoy, her husband, Charles, and their two children of Hopewell. Another daughter, Hedy Dee, recently moved back to Hopewell from Dallas, Texas, but may soon move to Washington, D.C. Their other two sons live out of the state - Ricky in New York City and Gary in Homestead, Florida. In Billy's free time, he enjoys such hobbies as photography, collecting old pictures, computers, and traveling. In addition Billy enjoys using his woodworking talents to make key holders and other interesting items. Congratulations, Billy and Deanna, for the well-deserved titles of Deaf Father and Mother of the Year! The Deaf Father of the Year program has continued its tradition of honoring distinguished Deaf Fathers since 2000. Allen Justice of Richmond, VA, was the 2003 Deaf Father of the Year.
-- Lorine Peterson
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