It is with deepest sorrow that we announce the unexpected passing of our son, Bryson Taylor Clyde, on February 25, 2022.

Taylor was born on May 22, 2005, on a bright and sunny morning in Payson, Utah to his devoted parents Bryson Harman Clyde and Tiffany Ensign. From an early age, it became clear that Taylor was not like other children. He had extreme sensitivities to sound, struggled to control his emotions, and did not engage in play activities aligned with normal childhood development. At the same time, we discovered that Taylor had an incredible mind, with amazing recall and an uncanny ability to understand the complexities of math, science, and the written word. He was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, which often surprised the people who knew him because he was so outgoing and gregarious.

As a young boy, Taylor was absolutely obsessed with dinosaurs. He would read thick scientific books on paleontology way beyond his grade level and memorized everything there was to know about the different species and prehistoric eras.

Taylor was also a very spiritual child, and was well-known in the Brookside 2nd Ward in Payson for his legendary and thoughtful testimonies on Fast Sundays. Every time he would walk up to share at the pulpit, his parents would experience a mixture of pride, love, and anxiety— because you never knew exactly what was going to come out of Taylor’s mouth when he spoke. He was a voracious reader, and read not only J.R.R. Tolkein’s The Hobbit but the entire Lord of the Rings saga before he left elementary school. He was also a proud Ravenclaw and loved growing miniature watermelons in our home garden.

As he grew older, his passions turned from biology to Star Wars and U.S. History— and he could talk just as enthusiastically about Nathan Hale, Benedict Arnold, and Ethan Allen at a young age as much as he did about Boba Fett, Bo-Katan, and Captain Rex.

His insatiable thirst for knowledge and capacity for retention astounded us and made us laugh every single day.

Taylor was a natural performer, learning the cello and guitar, but he especially loved to sing and act. Because of his Asperger’s, Taylor had no filter about pretty much anything, but one of the perks of this was his ability to fully commit without self-consciousness while performing. Raucous renditions of show tunes were common as he did chores around the house on Saturdays— particularly from Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, and countless Disney films. He was also fond of classic rock and country music, especially The Beatles, Earth, Wind & Fire, and John Denver.

He was especially fond of animals and took great care of his dogs, first Domino and then Strax. He welcomed the cats in Mona that adopted us warmly into our family, and he doted on his beloved bearded dragon, Sporky.

Taylor was involved in many activities and endeavors in his short life. He participated in the Utah schools’ state archery tournament in 2017. In junior high, he was involved with the Creative Writing Club, where he won first place for best original story in a school-wide contest. He was also one of the founding members of the Ultimate Frisbee Club that began at Juab Junior High and carried over to the high school as they grew older. He loved spending time with his family skiing the slopes at Sundance, paddle boarding at Burraston Ponds, and hiking in the many National Parks he and his family visited throughout the country.

He took great pride in being a member of both the Juab Cross Country and Debate teams, where he had the opportunity to compete on the Varsity level. He felt very accomplished for being able to run a sub-20-minute 5K, and loved his coaches and teammates dearly.

One of the highlights of his life was being able to spend time working on his Uncle Rob’s cattle ranch in Northern California when he was fifteen years old, helping with their first branding and tagging season.

For all the things that came easy to Taylor, it was an endless source of frustration to him that he struggled to understand the social cues, body language, and facial expressions of others, particularly his peers. He also struggled often with depression and anxiety, as is all too common for individuals on the autism spectrum.

Taylor’s hopes and dreams included going to college at Utah State, where he planned to major in history and go on to law school or become a history professor. We have no doubt that he would have been successful in whichever endeavor he ended up choosing.

The loss of Taylor has left a hole in our lives that can never be replaced. He was truly one-of-a-kind, and losing him has been absolutely devastating to his friends and family.

Taylor is survived by his parents, his siblings Reilly, Danika, Logan, and Owen, his grandparents Steve and Pam Clyde of Spanish Fork, Utah, Bob and Brandy Ensign of Paradise, Utah, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins who loved him dearly.

Services will be held on Saturday, March 5 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 65 West 800 South, Mona, Utah. A public viewing for family and friends will be held from 9:15-10:45 am, followed by the funeral service at 11:00 am. Internment will take place at Evergreen Cemetery in Springville, Utah.

We love you Taylor, and until we meet again you will be in our hearts always.