Clint Taylor

Clinton Ray Taylor was born in Oakley, Idaho December 11, 1932 to Elmer L. and Emma Hardy Taylor. Clint died peacefully at home on July 31, 2016. On March 5, 1954, Clint married Nadine Stewart in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. He served as a Major and a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. He is a retired history teacher from Oquirrh Hills Elementary School. Clint was preceded in death by his parents; infant son, Clinton Ray Taylor; daughter, Teri Powell.

Survivors:  wife, Nadine Taylor; and their five children:  Stewart (Anne) Taylor, Brent (Laura) Taylor, Lisa (Tom) Freeman, Kyra (Neil) Morris, Stacy (Jacob) Buhler; 29 grandchildren and 42 great-grandchildren; siblings, Keith E. (Paula) Taylor, Duane H. (Ann) Taylor, Joyce Picket (Floyd, deceased), Gary C. (Melody) Taylor. Clint's three greatest treasures are his love of God, his family, and his country.

Funeral services honoring Clint will be held Thursday, August 4, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. in the Midvale 6th LDS Ward Chapel, 8171 S. Jackson St. A viewing for family and friends will be Wednesday, August 3, 2016, from 6-8 p.m. at Goff Mortuary, 8090 So. State, Midvale; and Thursday at the church from 9:45-10:45 a.m.  Interment, Midvale City Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Missionary Fund.



Life Sketch

Clinton Ray Taylor passed away peacefully at home on August 31, 2016. Clint was born in Oakley Idaho on Dec. 11, 1932 and was the son of Elmer and Emma (Hardy) Taylor. He was delivered by his Grandmother Hardy, who was a practicing midwife. At 4 years old he developed Perthes disease in his hips that prevented him from walking. He was taken to Primary Children's Hospital where he spent 2 years bedridden and in traction before being released.  His older brother, Keith, was key to his rehabilitation and pulled him around in a wagon and carried him, teaching him to walk once more.

Because of his illness, Clint was behind in school but soon caught up with his peers.  He competed in basketball and football in high school and lettered all three years, earning a scholarship offer from both the University of Utah and BYU, eventually choosing the latter.

While in school he majored in ROTC and minored in zoology. Clint married Nadine Stewart on Mar. 5, 1954 in the Salt Lake Temple and his eldest daughter, Teri, was born in his senior year. Upon graduation from BYU he entered the Air Force and was initially stationed in San Antonio before attending flight school in Mission Texas.  More flight training ensued at Greenville Mississippi where Stewart was born. He began flying fighter jets in Midway Oklahoma and eventually graduated to the flagship fighter of the day; the F100 Super Sabre. After Brent was born in Provo, Utah, the family joined Clint at the Fukuoka, Japan air base. They lived there three years where their second daughter, Lisa was born. In an effort to spend more time with his family, Clint began flying cargo jets stationed out of Fort Bragg, then Clovis, New Mexico where Kyra was born. He served 1 tour of duty in Vietnam as a cargo pilot then, after achieving the rank of Major, Clint moved his family to Midvale, Utah where Stacy was born and where he spent the remainder of his life.

Clint loved being a pilot and told many interesting stories relating to his service. He loved war movies, except those that depict inaccurate representations of military operations, those that depict the English having superior generals to those of the U.S., or those with haughty young pilots disregarding direct orders from superiors.

After leaving the military Clint worked at the Flight Service for 14 years and then as a history teacher at Oquirrh Hills Middle School. He loved his family, the church, and his country. He was preceded in death by his parents, his infant son Clinton Ray Taylor and daughter Teri Powell. He is survived by wife, Nadine Taylor, son Stewart (Anne) Taylor, son Brent (Laura) Taylor, daughter Lisa (Tom) Freeman, daughter Kyra (Neil) Morris, and daughter Stacy (Jake) Buhler. He was the proud grandfather to twenty-nine grandchildren and forty-two great-grandchildren.