Lloyd S. Taylor

Mar. 21, 1928 - Sept. 25, 2008
SOUTH BEND - Lloyd Sherrett Taylor, 80, beloved husband, father and grandfather, died on Thursday night peacefully and in the company of his family. Lloyd was born March 21, 1928, in LaPorte, to the late Lloyd W. Taylor and Nina Sellers Taylor of Walkerton. He graduated from Walkerton - Lincoln Township High School in 1946. He served in the 11th Airborne / 88 Parachute Infantry in Sendai, Japan, followed by three years in the U.S. Air Force Reserves. He attended Purdue University and graduated with a BS degree in civil engineering in January 1952. At Purdue, he met Nancy Ann Kiebler and they were married on January 26, 1952, in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. Together they raised three children, Stephen Paul (Suzette) of Lexington Park, Maryland, David Bruce (Lorraine) of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Katherine Ann of Bethesda, Maryland. They have six grandchildren, Paul, Diane (Joe), Benjamin, Brian, James and Anna. Lloyd was preceded in death by his sister, Nina Leigh Wallace, and an infant grandchild, Deborah Lynn Taylor. Following graduation from college, Lloyd and Nancy moved to South Bend. Lloyd served in several capacities in the consulting and industrial engineering field at Clyde-Williams and Associates, Torrington, and Curtis Wright. In 1964 he was appointed Director of Public Works and City Engineer for the City of South Bend. In January 1972 he was appointed Executive Director of the Department of Redevelopment for the City of South Bend where he was responsible for the downtown renewal project. In January 1973, he joined the St. Joseph Bank and Trust Company as Vice President for Real Estate Development. He retired from the bank as Senior Vice President in 1988. In 1982 he was elected to the Indiana General Assembly. He served two terms on the Ways and Means Committee and was the ranking member of the Public Safety Committee. He took a special interest in education finance and was appointed to the Governor's Select Advisory Committee on Primary and Secondary Education. In 1985, Gov. Orr appointed him to the White River Park Development Commission and in 1987 to the Indiana Medical Education Board. He was honored by the Ad Hoc Youth Issues Legislative Task Force and the Tri-County Council for Exceptional Children for his work on legislation for handicapped children. He was a member of the South Bend Exchange Club, Masonic Lodge #619, Walkerton, Indiana, and was a member of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Valley of South Bend. In 2000 he received the 33 degree, the highest honor of the Scottish Rite Free Masonry. He served on the St. Joseph County Airport authority for 22 years, six years as president, the Northern Indiana Historical Society Board for 23 years, and he chaired the Building Committee overseeing the design and construction of the Northern Indiana Center for History. He served on the boards of Goodwill Industries, the Alcoholism Council, the Indiana Area Development Council and Brethren Care of South Bend. He also served on Judge John Montgomery's Blue Ribbon Task Force to investigate problems in the St. Joseph County jail. In 1965, he was given the annual Award of Merit of the South Bend Civic Planning Association and in 1974 he was named Engineer of the Year by the St. Joseph County Chapter of the Indiana Society of Professional Engineers. Mayor Peter Nemeth gave him a Key to the City of South Bend in 1978 for his efforts to establish the Studebaker National Museum. He served as secretary of the Studebaker National Museum for a number of years and on various committees. Lloyd was an emeritus member of the boards of both the Northern Indiana Historical Society and of the Studebaker National Museum. In 1984 Governor Orr named Lloyd a Sagamore of the Wabash. In 1994, the Northern Indiana Historical Society established the Lloyd Taylor Annual Volunteerism Award in his honor. He was named Lion of the Year by the Lydick Lions in 1990, and a Melvin Jones Fellow by Lions Clubs International Foundation for dedicated humanitarian service. He received the F. Jay Nimtz Award for exemplary public service from the City of South Bend and the South Bend Heritage Foundation. Lloyd was involved in establishing the Military Honor Park and Museum located at the South Bend Regional Airport. In November 2007 Lloyd and Nancy were inducted into the South Bend Community Hall of Fame. Although antique cars were his first love, Lloyd joined Nancy in her love for horses. Together, Nancy and Lloyd enabled the development of a permanent home for Reins of Life Therapeutic Horseback Riding. Lloyd served many roles there, but his favorite for many years was chief handyman. Lloyd was a member of the Pioneer Automobile Association for over 50 years and some of his family's fondest memories are of him in his 1950 Studebaker Champion convertible. The family would like to thank the Center for Hospice and Palliative Care nurses and Dr. Andrew Fiedler for their wonderful care and support. Honoring Lloyd's wishes, cremation has taken place and there will be no services. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, Lloyd requested memorial contributions be made to Reins of Life, 55200 Quince Road, South Bend, IN 46619. The family will welcome visitors at the Welsheimer Family Funeral Home, 521 N. William St., from 2 to 6 p.m. today, September 28th.