On Thursday, Nov.18, 2010, Fredric Raymond Taylor, at the age of 78, went home to join his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Fred's undying and unwavering love, faith and devotion to his God helped him in his final days to be at total peace.
Fred was born in Sandport, Idaho, on March 30, 1932, to Clyde Taylor and Grace Myers. He was one of seven children. As a child, Fred's family moved around the Pacific Northwest following the crop circuit for work. In 1944, Fred moved from Pasco, Wash., to Merrill, where he lived out the remainder of his life.
Fred attended school at Merrill Junior/Senior High School, where he was very active and involved in sports, especially football. In the eighth grade is where he met Joan Noonan, not knowing she would later become his wife and the mother of his children. Fred and Joan were married on Sept. 29, 1951.
After their honeymoon to the Oregon Coast, they returned to Merrill and started their family. Fred and Joan were blessed with a very large family. Together they had 11 children of which eight are still living. The Taylors lost two daughters to illness and a son to a tragic accident. Their other children brought to the family wonderful spouses, children and grandchildren. Fred and Joan, to date, have 21 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren, with two great-grandchildren on the way.
To support his growing family, Fred worked as a farm and ranch laborer in the Klamath Basin for many different local farmers and ranchers. When not doing farm and ranch labor he built fences and delivered firewood, always providing service with a smile. Several years of his career he worked in the fertilizer industry for Gasser and Dunham, now known as Basin Fertilizer, which was co-owned by his close friend, Bill Gasser.
Fred finally decided after 60 years of dedicated hard work to retire in 2008. However, it was not an easy decision for him. Fred loved to work. It was a way of life - his life. Even when he wasn't working, he stayed busy and involved in his community. Fred found time to be a volunteer fireman for the Merrill Fire Department; volunteered as a Boy Scout Leader; was a member of the Lost River Booster Club; and he was always an active member of St. Augustine Church in both the Men's Club and the parish.
In retirement Fred filled his time artifact hunting, reading, playing Scrabble with his loved ones, and puttering in his hobby garden. Fred grew enough vegetables to provide for all his family, friends and neighbors. It was not uncommon on a hot summer day to see Fred walking down the street pushing a wheelbarrow and sharing his vegetables with all the neighbors. Every
Saturday, Fred and Joan would spread the joy of their garden by cutting the gladiolas from the garden and using them to decorate the church for weekly services.
The most special part of retirement for Fred was the time he was able to spend with his children and grandchildren. His family was always his No. 1 priority. Fred found a way in every situation to show the people around him how much he valued the sanctity of life, love in all its many splendors, and his deep-rooted respect of all humankind by the little things he did. He never met a stranger, and he was a natural-born teacher. The life lessons he instilled in everyone he met will withstand the test of time.
Fred is survived by his wife of 59 years, Joan; daughter, Katie Melich, and her husband, Rob, of Louisville, Colo.; son, Bill Talyor, and his wife, Mary, of Merrill; son, Mitch Taylor, and his wife, Adela, of Malin; daughter, Nancy Franz, and her husband, Ray, of Portland; daughter, Joannie Hawkins, and her husband, Kenny, of Merrill; daughter, Sally Taylor-Pillar, and her husband, Scott, of Sisters; daughter, Anne Williams, and her husband, Ben, of Bend; and son, Tom Taylor, and his wife, Cindy, of Merrill; sister, Francis Chapman, and her husband, Jay, of Moses Lake, Wash.; sister-in-law, Eileen Reynolds, and her husband, Dan, of Merrill; sister-in-law, Peggy Wolfram, of Klamath Falls; sister-in-law, Rosemary Noonan, of Klamath Falls; 21 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, two unborn great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Fred was preceded in death by his son, Jim Taylor; daughter, Cecelia Taylor; daughter, Molly Taylor; sister, Peggy Takacs; sister, Louessa Taylor; brother, Edward Taylor; brother, Bill Taylor; brother-in-law, Bill Noonan; sister-in-law, Patricia Honeycutt; in-laws, Mike and Katherine Noonan; mother, Grace Meyers; and father, Clyde Taylor.
Herald and News Nov. 21, 2010