Herbert Taylor
Herbert Taylor

Obituary of Herbert Taylor

Herbert Lester Taylor (Les), 95, passed away peacefully at his home of nearly 60 years on 26 November 2011 in Boise, Idaho, just 2-1/2 years after the passing of his wife, Sallie. A graveside service in honor of his life will be held Tuesday at 11 AM at Dry Creek Cemetery, 9600 Hill Road, Boise. At a family gathering of children, grandchildren and great grandchildren in early November, Les was recognized by the Sheet Metal Union and received his 60-year pin. He was delighted with that recognition. He was looking forward to celebrating his 96th birthday in January. A son of Herbert and Jennie Cookman Taylor, Les was born in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, England, on 30 January 1916. He was the eldest of three siblings: Gilbert, Evelyn and Jean, who all preceded him in death. Les grew up helping his dad on the small farm of chickens, goats and pigs, often riding his bicycle downhill to deliver eggs, and then dragging himself and the bike loaded with supplies uphill to home at Cross Edge. He left school at 14, as was the custom, and worked at the fish and chip shop in town. Later he was employed at Woods Sheet Metal in Oswaldtwistle and during WWII worked away in Leicestershire building Wellington Bombers, a British twin-engine, long-range medium bomber that was widely used in the early years of the war. Named after Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, it was the only British bomber to be produced for the entire duration of the war. Les was recognized for developing an improvement to the building method of the Wellington. Well known in Oswaldtwistle as a youth, Les and his brother Gilbert were sought-after dance partners, which is how he and Sallie Berry met. They were married 31 December 1938. Les and Sallie, with their two sons and daughter, immigrated in 1950 on the Queen Mary to the U.S., where they hoped to establish a more productive future for the family. They lived in Melba and Nampa before putting down roots in West Boise in 1952. Endowed with a traditional work ethic, Les and Sallie raised chickens by the thousands and sold eggs by the dozens every day for 25 years. Sallie gathered, graded, and packed eggs and looked after baby chicks, and Les fed the hens and built the coops, in addition to his full-time sheet metal job. In Boise, two more daughters were born, helping to keep Les and Sallie young. In 1961 they built their dream home on the farm with its large covered patio, where they enjoyed family gatherings. When Les retired from E.W. Little Sheet Metal Company in 1980, they traveled to England numerous times, went on many cruises and visited various parts of the world. Together they enjoyed golfing, reading, bike riding and gardening. Les watched his big-screen TV daily and enjoyed soccer matches from England, especially his Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United. He was an avid reader and a faithful patron of the library. Les's granddaughters loved his sense of humor and his grandsons his construction ability, from farm buildings to patio to toys. He spent many hours both before and after retirement in his work shop making useful items for family and friends, including storage cupboards for his children, numerous "y" puzzles for each of his grandsons, and decorative planters, vases, shelf units, trellises and umbrella stands of copper, sheet metal and other metals. His children and grandchildren loved hearing his stories of growing up in England. Les was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tender hearted, he hated to be caught crying. He was generous and willing to give of his means. He left a legacy of hard work and often said, "If a job is worth doing, it's worth doing well." We will all miss him very much. Les is survived by his five children: Bryan Taylor, Emmett, Idaho; Ann (Daryl) Hobson, Salt Lake City, Utah; Trevor Taylor, Boise; Judith (William) Fisher, Boise; and Gail (Wayne) Whiting, Eugene, Oregon, and their families. Les and Sallie's five children blessed them with 15 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren, with twins expected this year. Les was preceded in death by his wife, Sallie, and by Bryan's wife, Margy Card Taylor. We recognize Grandpa Les and Grandma Sallie's little angel, Kelsey Fisher, their youngest grandchild and caregiver, who made their lives so much easier the past four years and brought them much joy.
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