SOUTH ROYALTON, VT — Walter S. “Skip” Taylor, 71, died Thursday, November 7, 2019 at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH.
He was born March 20, 1948 in Shrewsbury, MA, the son of Harvey and Ethel (Adams) Taylor. He grew up in Rutland, MA. He attended Wachusett Regional High School in Holden, MA, where he graduated in 1967.
He served in the US Coast Guard from 1968 to 1972 and traveled to many places in the world while in the service. His ship was the USCG Rockaway, stationed on Governor’s Island. On May 3, 1969 he married Andrea Ware of South Royalton, VT. They lived in South Royalton and Tunbridge, VT before returning to South Royalton in 1999.
Skip was a tool and die maker. His workplaces included CEPS in Windsor, VT and G.W. Plastics in Bethel, VT. He also had his own business, Accufast Tool and Die, for many years.
He was a member of Rising Sun Lodge #7 of Ft. A.M. and served for many years as the Lodge’s DeMolay Leader.
He enjoyed reading, fishing, photography, studying space and science, writing and figuring things out and how they work. After the loss of much of his vision, he continued to read avidly, thanks to the support from the Vermont Association of the Blind and the National Library Service’s BARD program. He also continued cooking and taught his granddaughter to bake bread. He had a fantastic memory. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather and will be greatly missed.
He is survived by his wife of fifty years, Andrea Taylor, his daughter Bridgett Taylor and his granddaughter Alexis “ATY” Taylor-Young, all of South Royalton, two brothers Stuart Taylor of Florida and Daniel Taylor of Oregon, two sisters, Avis Hayes of Florida, Nancy Love of Texas and his beloved extended family. He was predeceased by a brother, Robert Taylor.
There are no public calling hours. A memorial funeral service will be held Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at 2pm at the Boardway and Cilley Funeral Home, 300 VT Rte 110, Chelsea, VT.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to South Royalton Rescue Squad, PO Box 680, South Royalton, VT 05068. A private message of sympathy for the family can be shared at www.boardwayandcilley.com.