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WINTON – Dr. Julian R. Taylor’s long and distinguished career in caring for his patients and his community was recognized here Monday night by the Hertford County Board of Commissioners during their regularly scheduled meeting.

Dr. Taylor, who retired in January after 51 years of medical service, was presented a resolution by the board in tribute to his work.

The resolution was officially read into the minutes of the meeting by Dr. Renee Tyler, Clerk to the Board of Commissioners.

Not only did the resolution honor Dr. Taylor for providing “compassionate care” and further distinguishing himself for “training the next generation of health professionals”, it also praised the contributions he made in other areas. They include his service as president of the medical staff at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, medical consultant at Guardian Care Nursing Home, staff physician at the Boice-Willis Ambulatory Care Clinic, and president of the Seaboard Medical Association of North Carolina and Virginia.

Prior to his local career at Roanoke-Chowan Community Health Center, Dr. Taylor was on the staff at Ahoskie Family Physicians.

In addition to his outstanding contributions to practice of medicine and caring for his patients over the years, the resolution closed by wishing Dr. Taylor a “healthy and happy retirement.”

“It’s an honor and pleasure for us to recognize you tonight for providing medical services, caring for and nurturing Hertford County citizens for over 50 years. This resolution is just a small token of appreciation for the great level of medical care you have provided during your long career,” stated Commission Chair Ronald Gatling.

“Chairman Gatling and board members, I am deeply indebted to you for this honor,” Dr. Taylor remarked upon receiving the framed resolution. “I feel that anything I have accomplished has been backed up by my co-workers, including Dr. Charles Sawyer, Dr. Colin Jones, Dr. Mike Alston, and the long support of my family, to include my wife, Jerrie. Without them I would not be here.”

Dr. Taylor also signaled out Kim Schwartz, CEO of Roanoke-Chowan Community Health Center.

“Kim has made medical care in this area what it is right now,” he noted. “We may have begun at a very low level, but she has bought it along to a higher level of care.

“I also want to commend ya’ll for your public service and dedication,” added Dr. Taylor, addressing those remarks to the commissioners. “Thank ya’ll for all you do.”

Schwartz joined the commissioners in honoring Dr. Taylor.

“He, along with Dr. Jones, Dr. Alston, and Dr. Sawyer, is part of the reason I came here, because of their loyalty, their patience, and the legacy they have built here,” Schwartz noted. “They deeply care for this community.”

Schwartz mentioned Dr. Taylor’s passion and dedication.

“He was set to retire right before the [COVID-19] pandemic hit,” she said. “He couldn’t leave his colleagues under those circumstances, choosing rather to delay his retirement in order to stand with them.

“He is a brilliant man, in academia and in human compassion,” Schwartz continued. “In my humble opinion, he is the most empathetic person I’ve ever met in my life. He laid the foundation for the future of healthcare here in our area that will go on for generations to come.”

Directing her comments to Dr. Taylor, Deborah Morrison, chair of the Roanoke-Chowan Community Health Center Board of Directors, said, “we appreciate you, we appreciate your service, and all you have done for our community. We hope you will enjoy this next chapter in your life.”

“It’s been an honor to serve with Julian all these years. He and Charles Sawyer and Jim Darden set a good example and for keeping medical care going in this community. He has been an inspiration,” stated Dr. Jones.

Orlanda Reed of Winton said that Taylor had been her doctor for nearly 15 years.

“I’m so very grateful to have known him; he took very good care of me and I thank him for his service,” Reed remarked.

Dr. Taylor came to Hertford County in 1974, after serving as a general medical officer in the United States Air Force at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina and completing a Family Medicine Residency at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC. He graduated in 1969 from the Bowman-Gray School of Medicine (now the Wake Forest School of Medicine).