Harold Taylor Barford, Jr.

Harold Taylor Barford, Jr., 80, of Jacksonville, Florida, passed away Tuesday March 25, 2025, surrounded by his family. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 21, 1944 to Harold and Myrtle Barford. He was known to friends and family as “Skip” but was “Daddy” to his two daughters and “Grandpa” to his five grandchildren.

He grew up in Buckmanville, Pennsylvania where he played with his younger brother Harry on a nearby farm, threw numerous tomatoes at unsuspecting visitors, and generally wreaked havoc with the neighbors any chance he got!

He graduated from Council Rock High School in 1963, where he played baseball and continued to play in numerous leagues around town. His love of cars began in high school and continued through adulthood culminating in a collection of cars, trucks and motorcycles.

He served in the United States Navy from 1965 to 1969 where he was stationed in Pensacola, Florida, Napels, Italy, and Jacksonville, Florida. He married Joan Scarborough in 1968 and they had two daughters, Dawn Marie and Lori Ann. He moved to Jacksonville in 1994 to be closer to his children.

Skip worked much of his life as a welder, beginning with his father’s business and eventually retiring from General Electric in the aviation division.

Friends and family will remember him for his twisted sense of humor, his preference for all-you-can-eat buffets and his wild stories (which he told over and over).

Skip is preceded in death by both parents. He is survived by his daughters Dawn Paulus (Chad), Lori Allen (Ed), his five grandchildren Ashton Armstrong (Jennie), Courtney Armstrong (Brennen), Andrew Paulus, Harold Paulus and Abigail Paulus. He is also survived by his brother Harry Barford and sister-in-law Susan and nieces, nephews and a large extended family

A celebration of life will be held at the American Legion 316 at 1127 Atlantic Blvd. in Atlantic Beach on Sunday, March 30 at 4pm. Guests are encouraged to honor him by wearing Philadelphia or Jacksonville sports teams or Harley Davidson Motorcycles attire.

A burial service will be held at the Jacksonville National Cemetery on Tuesday April, 1 2025 at 1pm.