W. Eugene Taylor

DALLASTOWN W. Eugene Taylor, 72, passed away at his cabin near Pine Grove Furnace in Michaux State Forest, on Tuesday, June 3, 2008. He was the husband of Nancy L. (Keller) Taylor for 50 years. They were married in August, 1958. He was born September 8, 1935, the son of Walter J. and Orpha M. (Tarbert) Taylor in Red Lion. A 1954 graduate of Red Lion Area High School, Taylor also attended Penn State's York campus and Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC). He served with the U.S. Army's 8th Regiment in Germany from 1956 and 1958, where he played trombone in the regimental band. Mr. Taylor was a professional construction estimator for more than 40 years. A member of the American Society of Professional Estimators (ASPE), Chapter 21, of Baltimore, he served as its president and a board member. He was also instrumental in organizing ASPE Chapter No. 76 to represent York, Lancaster, and Dauphin counties in 1999. Taylor retired from Pennsylvania's State General Services division in 2002. He was employed by R.S. Noonan of York, Irwin-Leighton, Inc. of King of Prussia, and Mellon-Stuart of Harrisburg during his career. Mr. Taylor was active in church and numerous volunteer organizations. A member of St. John's United Church of Christ for more than 50 years, he served as its consistory's president, as an elder, a deacon, and on various committees. He was instrumental in founding the Dallastown Area Athletic Association in 1968 and served as the organization's president and treasurer and as a coach. He was a Boy Scout Webelos leader for Dallastown's Pack 43 and a committee member for Red Lion's Pack 35. A Lion's Club member, Mr. Taylor was Zone 4C chairman and a past president of the Dallastown club and served on various committees. He served as Red Lion Historical Society president from 2006 to 2008, and was chairman of the project management committee for the renovation of the Red Lion train station. He was also a member of the Guinston Gutters Katrina relief team, traveling with them to New Orleans during September, 2007, and January, 2008. In addition to his wife, other survivors include a sister, Ann L. Reichard and her husband, David of Red Lion; an aunt, Helen Sliver of Aberdeen, Md.; a son, John D. Taylor and his spouse, Nancy Whiting of Columbia; a daughter, Jennifer S. Small, her husband, Brian, and three grandchildren, Ryan, Rachel, and Kaitlyn Small, all of Dallastown; as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins. A celebration of life service will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday at Life Tributes by Olewiler and Heffner Funeral Chapel and Crematory Inc., 35 Gotham Place, Red Lion, with the Rev. Dr. John E. Fureman, chaplain at Phoebe Berks Village in Wernersville officiating. A visitation will be held from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Following the service, a reception will be held at St. John's U.C.C. on N. Main St. in Red Lion. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Red Lion Area Historical Society, 10 E. Broadway, Red Lion, PA 17356, tel. (717) 244-1912; the Dallastown Lion's Club, contact Dean Smeltzer, (717) 246-9410, email roycedsmeltzer@verizon.net; or the Guinston Church, 14130 Guinston Forge Road, Ariville, PA 17302, tel. (717) 927-6366.