Richard Taylor

Richard Bryan “Rick” Taylor died Monday, May 17, 2021 at his apartment in Evanston, Wyoming.  He had been suffering from poor health and severe back injuries for several years, and was 67 years old at the time of his death.

Rick was born in Evanston on June 25, 1953 to Richard E. and Beulah Taylor of Mountain View.  His early life was spent with his family in Bridger Valley.  He attended elementary school in Mountain View, Colorado, Lyman and back to Mountain View where he was particularly gifted in spelling.  During high school, Rick excelled as a wrestler, then graduated from Mountain View with a high school diploma in 1971.  Shortly after graduation, Rick enlisted in the United States Army during the Vietnam conflict.  He was attached to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Air Defense Artillery Battery in New York.  He was stationed for a time in Germany, where his efforts earned a letter of appreciation from his battalion commander.  Rick served his country well until 1978 when he received an honorable discharge from the United States Army.

He returned home to Wyoming where he spent the next several years working numerous jobs.  In 1979, he married Debbi Larson. The couple were later divorced.  He had a long-time companion in Sue Warner who passed away in 2019.  Never one to shy away from hard work, Rick was well known to his employers for his work ethic.  In 1985, he was injured severely while working the oil rigs. The injury resulted in a permanent disability which caused him much frustration as it left him unable to work as he wanted.

Rick will always be remembered as a cowboy.  Growing up on the family-owned ranch instilled in him a love of the land, the livestock and especially horses.  An accomplished rider and horseman, much of Rick’s early life was spent in the saddle.  Throughout his life on the ranch, he broke and rode many different horses, not just for use on the ranch, but for others who needed his riding skills.  A life-long lover of animals, he was always accompanied by at least one dog his whole life.  He was a caring and compassionate person always willing to help someone in need.

He is survived by his mother, Beulah Taylor of Evanston, a sister, Celinda Hamblin of Ekalaka, Montana, a brother John of Lyman, a sister, Mary Ann Harris of Mountain View, and twelve nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Richard E. Taylor.