Nelson Roy Taylor, 88, passed gently to the other side early Sunday morning, February 6th, at his residence in Salem, Utah. He had been born in the old Salem family home on January 9, 1934, as the fourth child and only boy, to Roy Thomas Taylor and Annie Hortense Nelson.

He spent his carefree childhood in this beautiful-ponded farming community at the foot of his beloved Mt. Loafer. He learned all aspects of ranch life from his dear father and was responsible to herd their band of milk cows to the pasture north of town, along with other boys his age. When they brought them home, each animal in this mixed herd knew just which lane to turn down to get back to their own barns. Life was simple.

In the wintertime, after school and at recess, students and even the principal went ice skating on the Pond. Nelson was famous for being a proficient ice skater. In those days, every ear could discern whose car was coming down the roads and whose dog was getting into trouble. Of course, his trusty mare Chessy was the fastest horse in town… just ask any old-time rider.

As a teen, his parents, having survived the Great Depression with farm still intact, decided to try city life in Provo where Nelson graduated from the old Provo High in 1952. He served a full-time Mission for the LDS Church in 1954-56 in the Dakotas, Montana and Wyoming. Upon his return, Nelson was drafted into the Army for a few years. Then he met his most amazing wife to be, Dawn (who is writing this).

He went on to BYU and got degrees in both Accounting and Chemistry… with his career focused on a lifetime of being an Accountant for several businesses, including Secretary of Strawberry Water Users. And, for a time, he and his wife owned three Dawn’s Dress shops in Spanish Fork, Heber and Nephi. But his most enjoyable endeavor was that of developing and subdividing his own farm ground.

He was a devoted Husband and Father. He became a proud father in 1966 and again in 1974. Besides his son and daughter, he took in other children, becoming guardian with his wife to her sister’s five minor children in Warden, Washington, after their parents were killed in a plane crash… and helping to raise a grandchild, Jessica, and now a great granddaughter, Andie.

Nelson was known as a soft-spoken, gentle-given man who enjoyed telling a good joke or story. He knew a lot about the history of Salem and t

he Dream Mine. He was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with callings from humble Librarian to Ward Clerk in a Bishopric. He was a popular Gospel Doctrine teacher for years. He loved God, Family and Country.

Dogs and Children gravitated to him. He loved animals, but that didn’t stop him from hunting… especially Pheasants. He was noted for his great capabilities with a shotgun, for his Dutch Oven cookout trophies, for the best cherry pie in the world, and for pressing apple cider on his father’s antique press. He loved to travel, to go camping, to read good books, to play card games at family birthday celebrations, to tell Peter Pan stories to his son and his wide-eyed playmates under the stars, and to play Santa’s Helper at Christmas.

He was a true-blue, staunch Son to his parents! — Working side-by-side on the farm or in the kitchen. Supporting their traditions and holidays – He even gave concerted full-time care to his Mother as she declined into Alzheimers. He went so far to protect her safety that he slept on the floor beside her bed for nearly a year so she would not get up and hurt herself. Then, at the rest home, he visited sometimes twice daily.

Nelson is survived by his wife Dawn Pratt Taylor, his son Brad Taylor (Lorie) of Elk Ridge, 7 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren, and his sister Renee Taylor Earl (Chuck) of Orem. Preceding him in death are his parents, 2 sisters and his daughter Staciann Taylor.

Services will be conducted in the Mount Loafer Ward, West Salem Stake House on 695 South 300 West (Loafer Street) on Saturday, February 12th with visitation at 9:45 AM and funeral at 11:00. There will be no graveside service as Mr. Taylor will be cremated and interred later at the Salem City Cemetery underneath one of the many pioneer cedar trees his own father nurtured when the cemetery was first created.

To watch the livestream of the funeral services, click here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85711869745?pwd=ME5jTG1YeUxzZHVsVnFHUXZVQW00Zz09