Oscar Taylor

Lyman, Utah – Our beloved family Patriarch, Oscar K. Taylor, age 87, passed away November 27, 2024, in Lindon, Utah. He was born April 19, 1937, in Lyman, Utah, a son of Floyd Pratt and Ethel Amelia Sorensen Taylor. He grew up in Lyman, where he enjoyed fishing with his siblings and cousins, playing baseball, basketball, townball, tennis and horseshoes, and hunting deer. He got his first deer when he was 14 years old by Snow Lake. He loved working on the family farm, herding cows and sheep, milking cows, and doing the ongoing work of the harvest. The law of the harvest was near and dear to his heart. He loved growing things, working hard, and seeing the positive outcomes from his efforts. He was Senior Class President at Wayne High School and graduated in 1955. He went to college in Logan and later Ephraim, and then back to Logan. He moved to Provo to finish his elementary teaching certificate. He got his bachelor’s degree from Utah State in Secondary Social Studies, Certifications of Honors in Elementary Teaching from BYU.

Oscar married Judy Sawyer in St. George, and they were later divorced. He married Marsha Lee Rosenvall in Lyman November 5, 1971. 

Oscar lived in Duchesne while he taught school at Tabiona and Duchesne High School. He moved back to Lyman, where he taught elementary school and later was the principal of Wayne Middle School for the last 10 years of his career. He taught school for 39 years. 

Oscar loved his farm and devoted much of his life and time to improving and caring for the land he loved. Oscar valued work and used his farm to teach his children the value of work and the law of the harvest. 

He loved Lyman and he was very active in the community serving as the Lyman town mayor and on the town council for many years. He was involved in many extra curricular activities with friends such as square dancing, basketball and softball teams. He also enjoyed a good game of horseshoes. 

He is an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in many callings in the Lyman Ward which included a bishopric counselor and Bishop. He also served in the Loa Stake as a high counselor. Church service was a priority in his life. He was converted and committed to the restored gospel. He and Marsha served an 18-month mission to Kirtland Historic Site from 2007-2009 and served two different times at Cove Fort. He and Marsha also served in the Manti LDS Temple for twelve years. Oscar and Marsha made many wonderful friends while serving their missions and at the temple.

He loved drives on Parker Mountain where he ran his cattle as well as “up the creek” past Mill Meadows and to Johnson Reservoir and Fish Lake. He loved snow skiing in his earlier years and also boating and water skiing trips to Lake Powell, which was a family favorite and instilled a love for boating in all his children. 

The deer hunt was always an important family tradition of camping and getting together with family. He loved fishing, especially taking his float tube on Neff’s Reservoir- a family favorite fishing hole. Dad always said the most important thing they grew on the farm was his family. Dad kept a journal his whole married life, which has been a treasure to his family for years, and will continue to mean more and more. He was the best at coming up with random competitions to keep his large family busy. 

Oscar is survived by his loving wife, Marsha Taylor of Lyman; his children: Brant and Jolynn Taylor of Magna; Michelle and Alex Bell of Logan; Kirt and Meriann Rippstein of Glenwood; Teri and Dave Christensen of Lyman; Ryan and Desirae Taylor of Stansbury Park; Kristy and Will Ferguson of Pleasant Grove; Kami Elison of Vernal; Weston and Sarah Taylor of Laketown; Kali and Spencer White of Lehi; 33 grandchildren; and 31 Great-Grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by a son, Travis O Taylor; and an infant son; his parents, Floyd and Ethel Taylor; and his siblings: Gail Shannon, Erma Gardner, Floyd LaMon Taylor, Clip J Taylor, Ned F Taylor, Lyle E Taylor, Annie Leora Taylor and Chad Taylor. 

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 7, 2024, at 1:00 P.M. in the Lyman LDS Ward Chapel, where friends may call for viewing Friday evening from 6 to 8 P.M. or Saturday morning from 10:00 to 12:30 prior to the services. 

Live streaming of the services can be found at: www.springerturner.com under Oscar’s obituary about 15 minutes prior to starting time. 

Burial will be in the Lyman Cemetery under the care of the Springer Turner Funeral Home of Richfield and Salina, Utah.