Halfway, Oregon
Floyd Phillip Taylor, 90, a Halfway native, died Oct. 21, 2001, at Halfway.
His graveside funeral was Wednesday at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. The Rev. Bill Shields of the Pine Valley Presbyterian Church officiated.
Mr. Taylor was born on Oct. 1, 1911, at Halfway to John Lee and Florence Bell White Taylor. He attended schools in Pine Valley and was a Pine Valley Union High School graduate.
A girl named Marcella Mitchell, who lived a mile down the road, caught his eye and they were married on Sept. 20, 1933. They enjoyed 68 years together. They had four children: William Floyd, Elton Dale, Keith Marvin and Michael Blair.
In the 90 years of his life, Mr. Taylor only left Halfway twice. He and his wife moved to Baker City in 1936 after purchasing the Elm Street Grocery. They returned to Baker City in 1941 to help the new owner, Henry Spivey, at the store.
Mr. Taylor enjoyed people immensely, easily meeting strangers as well as those he knew. He enjoyed spending time with relatives and had a great sense of humor. He also enjoyed singing and life in general.
When he was 16, he was helping his dad and Uncle Pres move a hay derrick into a hayfield just east of the house. His Aunt Alvada, who was one of those riding in the hay wagon said, “I thought there was a pile of paper burning in the barrow pit, but the smoke was coming from Floyd!” He had received a serious electrical shock, but was revived by a neighbor, Billy Baird, who was a Boy Scout.
Mr. Taylor’s life was one of hard work. He did the daily chores of farm life, including milking cows, raising pigs and raising hay and grain on the land.
He was a charter member of the Pine Valley Grange. He also was a longtime member of the Halfway Masons and a member of the Halfway Lions Club. He served on the boards of the Eagle Valley Soil Conservation District for 50 years, Pine-Eagle Dairymens Cooperative, Pine Lakes Irrigation District and the Baker County Planning Commission from its beginning for 14 years.
Survivors include his wife, Marcella; sons, Bill and Karen Taylor of Pendleton, Dale and Judy Taylor of Halfway, Keith Taylor of Vancouver, Wash., and Mike and Shirley Taylor of John Day; 13 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren; a sister, Alvada Gover of Imbler; sister-in-law, Catherine Taylor of Athena; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents, seven brothers and sisters, a daughter-in-law and a great-grandson.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Pine Valley Grange through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.
Used with permission from: The Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, November 2, 2001
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor