John Taylor has painted his last group of animals, taught his last painting class, and laid down his acrylics for the final time.

Taylor died Thursday morning after a brief illness. The fun-loving artist taught generations of Suffolk residents to paint in the studio behind his downtown home and was still teaching classes up until he got sick.

“John was one of the most upbeat and friendly persons I have ever known, an absolute delight to be around,” said the Rev. Michael Halley of Suffolk Christian Church, where Taylor was a choir member and deacon emeritus. “He was the most unpretentious man I ever knew. And funny! Most of his humorous stories were told on himself.”

Halley said Taylor was “a very dedicated churchman and choir member” and that deacon emeritus was a great honor for Taylor because of his many years of service.

Art League Executive Director Linda Bunch said Taylor has been involved in the art league since before she became involved.

“He was certainly special to me and to the art league,” she said. “We will miss him greatly.”

Taylor served in a number of roles, Bunch said: director, president of the board, advisory board member, exhibits chair, and just a general volunteer for anything she needed.

“He was the No. 1 on my speed dial,” she said. “Whatever you needed John to do, he was there.”

Taylor frequently donated paintings to be raffled or auctioned by a variety of charitable events and organizations in the city, Bunch said.

The mood was somber at the Suffolk Art Gallery when Nathan Richardson, a local poet and member of the Suffolk Art League board, stopped by this week.

“He always had a nice story to tell,” Richardson recalled. “He was definitely a community guy.”

Richardson first met Taylor while Richardson was in the National Guard and would do security at the armory for the art league’s annual antiques sale fundraiser. Taylor and others would stay there well into the night after the opening reception and tell stories.

“A person like that, you learn a lot by their example,” Richardson said.

Councilman Tim Johnson said he started taking classes with Taylor more than 30 years ago.

“I started from nothing,” Johnson said. “Of course, I was terrible. I’ve been painting ever since — not good, but it doesn’t make any difference. It was just an outlet.”

Johnson said he and other students recently talked about organizing a party for Taylor. They didn’t realize he wouldn’t live long enough for them to do so.

“I’m just so sorry we didn’t do that,” Johnson said. “He was like a hidden gem. Nobody realized what he was. He meant so much to the art community.”

Fellow student Phyllis Cornell said students enjoyed Taylor’s classes not only for the painting but also because he could spin a good yarn and joke while he taught.

“He was very good at inspiring all of us,” said Cornell, who is a watercolor artist. Taylor would often tell her, “’Phyllis, don’t you know this is an acrylic class?’” she recalled Friday.

Taylor’s wife, Connie, said her husband was so dedicated to art that it influenced the purchase of their home.

“The reason we live where we live is that he was able to set up a studio,” she said. “In old Suffolk, you couldn’t put a business in some residential areas.”

When interviewed by the Suffolk News-Herald in 2012 for a story on local artists, Taylor said he had no idea how many students he has taught over the years — but it’s a lot.

“You can almost take the phone book” for a list, he joked.

His career in art began in first grade, when his teacher liked his watercolor painting so much that she put it on the bulletin board.

“I was so proud to have my picture up in front of the class,” Taylor said.

Having graduated from Suffolk High School in 1945, Taylor served in the U.S. Navy briefly until the war ended. He then attended Elon College and Ringling School of Art and returned to Suffolk, working at Birdsong Peanut Company for more than 35 years.

His true passion was art, though, and he taught for more than 40 years. In 2004, he received the prestigious ALLI Award, presented by the Cultural Alliance of Hampton Roads.

In addition to his wife, Taylor is survived by his son and daughter, four grandchildren and a sister.

A visitation will be held Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. at R.W. Baker & Co. Funeral Home and Crematory, 509 W. Washington St. A funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Monday at Suffolk Christian Church.

A scholarship has been established in his name. Memorial donations may be made to the Suffolk Art League and noted in the memo line: John Taylor Scholarship Fund, 118 Bosley Ave., Suffolk, VA 23434.