Owen Ross Taylor
May 30, 1930 - January 30, 2019
Owen “Ross” Taylor passed away January 30, 2019 surrounded by his loving family in his home at the age of 88 due to natural causes.
Ross was born May 30, 1930. He was the chosen son of Ralph and Maude Taylor. They felt extremely blessed to finally have a baby boy in their home. He grew up on Wild Rose Lane and loved playing in the orchards and fields of East Millcreek with cousins and friends.
He graduated from Granite High School in 1948 and loved seeing his classmates at every reunion. This past summer he attended his 70th reunion and had already organized and funded the next. After high school graduation, he attended Mesa Jr. College where he played football. After one year in Mesa, he moved back to Utah and met his sweetheart and lifelong companion, Barbara Joy Hardman. They were married December 15, 1950 in Salt Lake City. Ross and Barbara were blessed with three beautiful daughters Debbie, Shelley and Kris and one amazing son Colin. They had 13 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren. His family was everything to him and he was so proud of each and every one of them.
Following college, Ross joined the Air Force and was stationed in Clovis, NM serving as a military police officer.
Ross started his career at Rudd Poultry where his entrepreneurial spirit led him to Beehive Poultry, Beehive Machinery, Volcano, Ross Taylor Originals and Bluesage BBQ and Hay Ride. His work took him to 65 different countries. He and Barbara traveled the world together.
While traveling to Eastern Europe for work he spent many years in the communist Soviet Union. He helped many families defect and helped them establish life in America and live the American Dream. He housed several foreign students in his home over the years as well.
A dedicated work ethic was extremely important to Ross. He taught his children to work hard at a young age and instilled in his family that you will always have everything you need if you’re willing to work hard for it. He was a man of his word with great integrity.
Ross also believed in second chances and started a prison release program and provided jobs for many ex-convicts.
When he wasn’t working, he loved golfing with Barbara, hunting, fishing, practical jokes and telling stories. He also spent many years pulling horses, a hobby he shared with Colin and Shelley.
Ross was a great American and a treasure to his family. He will be deeply missed. There will never be another Ross Taylor.
The family would like to thank Debbie and Roni (his oldest granddaughter) who cared for him in his home until he passed. IHC Hospice was so wonderful; thank you for all the love and care they showed the family. Special thanks to Arine Petrovich for her friendship and care.
He is survived by his children Debbie Wilcox, Janet Taylor, Shelley Woolsenhulme and Kris and Wayne Witzel, all his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Ross always had a deep desire to find his biological family and longed for siblings. He felt so grateful to have found two half brothers John Kiser and Kim (Debbie) Stuart with whom he shared loving and lasting relationships. In the past year he was lucky to have found more family, the Chargings, from North Dakota.
He is preceded in death by his wife Barbara, his son Colin and his parents Ralph and Maude.
Private family services will be held. Interment at Elysian Burial Gardens.
In Loving Memory
May the God of Comfort, console you during this time of sorrow through the love of friends and in his Word the Bible. Reading that soon death will be no more, comforts our hearts and helps us to cope with our loss. (Revelation 21:3,4) Please accept condolences from our family.
I loved talking to Barbara and Ross, the stories they told were so interesting. I was a cashier fir Smiths and often would see Ross in the store. One day he was at the meat dept, and I mentioned I wanted to take my grandaughter and her two small children to see the Elk, so he got a piece of butcher paper and wrote a note to his daughter to take care of us. We had a great time and lunch .Our 4yr old great grandaughter wanted to know what kind of gum the Elk were chewing. RIP Ross. Many Thanks, to a caring neighbor.
We had a wonderful visit with Ross last year on July 1st. We loved hearing his stories about growing up on Wild Rose Lane. I loved his parents, Uncle Ralph and Aunt Maud, and have many sweet memories of them when our family lived next door to them. Rest in peace, Ross. We'll see you at the big family reunion on the other side.
My fondest memory of Ross was him riding as fast as the horse could go through the orchards and hay fields in East Milk Creek, his custom made long reigns whipping in the wind. Tell all your western heroes they lived in the best time. Happy Trails pardner till we meet again.
In Loving Memory
