Obituary for Raymond Joseph Taylor
Raymond “Ray” Joseph Taylor went peacefully to the Lord on the evening of December 2.
A Mass of Christian burial will be held at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Holy Cross, IA at 10:30 am on Saturday, December 11, 2021, with Rev. Father Steven Garner as the celebrant. After the burial and military honors, family and friends will host a celebration of Ray’s life. Visitation will be on Friday, December 10 from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Egelhof, Siegert, and Casper Funeral Home at 2659 John F. Kennedy Road in Dubuque. A prayer service will be held at 7:00 pm. A second viewing will be held at Holy Cross Church from 9:00 am to 10:00 am on Saturday before Mass.
Born February 13, 1936, to Francis “Zack” and Dorothy (Rea) Taylor in Holy Cross, Iowa, Ray came to this earth during the 1936 North American Cold Wave, among the coldest periods in U.S. history. The weather was so treacherous, his dear mother had to be taken from the family’s farm on a sleigh pulled by horses to Grandma Taylor’s house in town, where Ray was born.
Ray graduated from Holy Cross High School in 1954, where his teachers often caught him reading Popular Science Magazine or an auto manual instead of his textbooks. Upon graduation, Ray worked as a mechanic in Dubuque and Dyersville. He served several years as a reservist in the 389th U.S. Army Engineering Battalion. Ray went on to work 31 years at John Deere Dubuque Works retiring in 1992.
Ray loved politics and he championed several conservative causes including private property rights and lower taxes. He was a rare union member who ran for office as a Republican. Ray was elected in 1970 to the Iowa State House, representing the 51st district in the 64th General Assembly. In 1980 Ray served as a Reagan delegate to the Iowa Republican State Convention, and he remained active in politics until his later years. Ray also enjoyed going to auctions, getting a good deal on just about anything, collecting Oliver tractors, Western movies, traveling, and a good piece of pie.
Ray married Joan Marie Brandel on September 30th, 1961, and they resided in Dubuque. Ray and Joan celebrated 58 years of marriage before she passed in 2019.
Ray is survived by his five children, Mark (Kelley) Taylor of Dubuque, Rea Ann (Dan) Paustian of Granger, IA, Sara (Joel) Fagen of Arlington, VA, Dan (Sarah) Taylor of Manchester, and Chris (Karen) Taylor of Dubuque, and 11 grandchildren: Michael, Matthew, Rebecca, Katelyn, Hannah, Tanner, Millie, Isaac, Audrey, Eric, and Charlie Jean. Ray is also survived by seven siblings, Mary Kahle of Dubuque, Helen (John) Thomas of San Francisco, CA, Jane (Kenneth) Rausch of Knoxville, TN, John (Barbara) Taylor of Holy Cross, Bridget (Robert) Kluesner of Owatonna, MN, Patricia (Mike) Thies of Peosta, Paul (Sue) Taylor of Zwingle, James Taylor of Tucemcari, NM, and sisters-in-law Mary Taylor of Ovideo, FL, Lois Taylor and Karolyn Taylor both of Dyersville, IA, and his brother-in-law Ronald (Dori) Brandel of Dubuque. Ray was preceded in death by his wife, Joan, his parents Francis and Dorothy Taylor, his parents-in-law, Charles and Edna Brandel, and brothers Frank, Charles, and Joseph Taylor, brothers-in-law Duane “Red” Even and Wayne Kahle, a sister-in-law, Marie Taylor, and nephew, Zachary Taylor.
Ray’s children would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the many caregivers from Bethany Home, who so diligently cared for their beloved dad “Papa” over the past two years.
A photo tribute can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/655385702/479ee1e974
Condolences can be sent by visiting Ray’s obituary at www.egelhofsiegertcasper.com. For those wishing to make a donation in memory of Ray, you may do so to Holy Spirit Parish – Holy Ghost Church.
A Mass of Christian burial will be held at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Holy Cross, IA at 10:30 am on Saturday, December 11, 2021, with Rev. Father Steven Garner as the celebrant. After the burial and military honors, family and friends will host a celebration of Ray’s life. Visitation will be on Friday, December 10 from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Egelhof, Siegert, and Casper Funeral Home at 2659 John F. Kennedy Road in Dubuque. A prayer service will be held at 7:00 pm. A second viewing will be held at Holy Cross Church from 9:00 am to 10:00 am on Saturday before Mass.
Born February 13, 1936, to Francis “Zack” and Dorothy (Rea) Taylor in Holy Cross, Iowa, Ray came to this earth during the 1936 North American Cold Wave, among the coldest periods in U.S. history. The weather was so treacherous, his dear mother had to be taken from the family’s farm on a sleigh pulled by horses to Grandma Taylor’s house in town, where Ray was born.
Ray graduated from Holy Cross High School in 1954, where his teachers often caught him reading Popular Science Magazine or an auto manual instead of his textbooks. Upon graduation, Ray worked as a mechanic in Dubuque and Dyersville. He served several years as a reservist in the 389th U.S. Army Engineering Battalion. Ray went on to work 31 years at John Deere Dubuque Works retiring in 1992.
Ray loved politics and he championed several conservative causes including private property rights and lower taxes. He was a rare union member who ran for office as a Republican. Ray was elected in 1970 to the Iowa State House, representing the 51st district in the 64th General Assembly. In 1980 Ray served as a Reagan delegate to the Iowa Republican State Convention, and he remained active in politics until his later years. Ray also enjoyed going to auctions, getting a good deal on just about anything, collecting Oliver tractors, Western movies, traveling, and a good piece of pie.
Ray married Joan Marie Brandel on September 30th, 1961, and they resided in Dubuque. Ray and Joan celebrated 58 years of marriage before she passed in 2019.
Ray is survived by his five children, Mark (Kelley) Taylor of Dubuque, Rea Ann (Dan) Paustian of Granger, IA, Sara (Joel) Fagen of Arlington, VA, Dan (Sarah) Taylor of Manchester, and Chris (Karen) Taylor of Dubuque, and 11 grandchildren: Michael, Matthew, Rebecca, Katelyn, Hannah, Tanner, Millie, Isaac, Audrey, Eric, and Charlie Jean. Ray is also survived by seven siblings, Mary Kahle of Dubuque, Helen (John) Thomas of San Francisco, CA, Jane (Kenneth) Rausch of Knoxville, TN, John (Barbara) Taylor of Holy Cross, Bridget (Robert) Kluesner of Owatonna, MN, Patricia (Mike) Thies of Peosta, Paul (Sue) Taylor of Zwingle, James Taylor of Tucemcari, NM, and sisters-in-law Mary Taylor of Ovideo, FL, Lois Taylor and Karolyn Taylor both of Dyersville, IA, and his brother-in-law Ronald (Dori) Brandel of Dubuque. Ray was preceded in death by his wife, Joan, his parents Francis and Dorothy Taylor, his parents-in-law, Charles and Edna Brandel, and brothers Frank, Charles, and Joseph Taylor, brothers-in-law Duane “Red” Even and Wayne Kahle, a sister-in-law, Marie Taylor, and nephew, Zachary Taylor.
Ray’s children would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the many caregivers from Bethany Home, who so diligently cared for their beloved dad “Papa” over the past two years.
A photo tribute can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/655385702/479ee1e974
Condolences can be sent by visiting Ray’s obituary at www.egelhofsiegertcasper.com. For those wishing to make a donation in memory of Ray, you may do so to Holy Spirit Parish – Holy Ghost Church.