Bobby Taylor

Long-time La Plata County resident, Bobby K. Taylor, passed away Tuesday, April 3, 2012, in Durango at Mercy Regional Medical Center at the age of 91. He had lived in southwest La Plata County for about 66 years. He was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Anna V. Taylor, and he is survived by his wife of 14 years, Norma B. Taylor, sons Deems Taylor, Duane Taylor, Norman Taylor and Trent Taylor and daughter Gevene Sherman, Norma's son Rick Walker, 24 grandchildren, 31 great grandchildren and pet dog, Yogi. Mr. Taylor was born in Kirtland N.M., and after serving in WWII, came to live just south of Redmesa, Colo., in 1946 where he operated the Long Hollow flour mill and a mostly dry-land farm near there and on the Dryside. The flour mill was closed down in 1957, but he continued farming, later turning the farming over to sons Deems, Duane and Trent. He was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all his life and served in many positions over his lifetime of service there, including full-time missionary and Bishop. He was also active in civic and community affairs and served on many boards and committees including a term as La Plata County Commissioner. He was instrumental in starting the local Basin Co-op when it was opened in the early 1950's. He also served on many irrigation water boards and spent most of his life here working toward the building of the Animas-La Plata water project which was approved by Congress in the mid 1960's but was never funded or built as originally envisioned. He went to Washington D. C. many times to lobby for its construction. The project was eventually built after being scaled down to the current Lake Nighthorse west of Durango. Family was of utmost importance to him and he spent many years collecting genealogy and pictures and family histories which he now leaves as a legacy and a blessing to his posterity. A Southwest Colorado area Pioneer history book over 560 pages long was compiled and published with a lot of help and encouragement from him. Services will be held at the Redmesa LDS Church Saturday, April 14, 2012, with a viewing at 9 a.m. and funeral at 11 a.m. Burial will follow at the Redmesa Cemetery.