Eldon Taylor

Eldon Duane Taylor, age 70, passed away in the home on January 5, 2025 after a short illness. Eldon was born on January 12, 1954 in Seattle, Washington, the son of Eldon Duane Burnett and Mernadean Taylor (Lexow). His parents moved to Seattle, but returned when Eldon was 6 months old, as his father and namesake had drowned in an effort to save his uncle. Eldon grew up in Abilene where he graduated from high school. He then attended K-state as a member of Beta Sigma Psi, never earning a degree in restaurant management after switching from engineering, but still had the best "five or six years of his life," according to his t-shirt. Eldon married Kim Cairns in 1985 and had three children, Brandy, Levi, and Elijah before their divorce in 1992. Eldon ran the 76 Truckstop in Solomon, KS on I-70 for 17 years before changing careers and working in procurement while he raised his children as a single dad. He was then able to accomplish his dream and open his own restaurant, E's Cafe in Solomon, where he could cook breakfast all day. He loved to cook, bake and smoke all day. His retirement was spent in Lawrence, KS living with his daughter Brandy's family as their "manny," something he bragged about to anyone who would listen. His life was his children and grandchildren, he was their Papa E. He loved sports: watching them, playing them and coaching them. He never missed a Solomon High School game if his kids were on the team and even set his alarm for any time in the morning to watch Leceister playing 'football' from across the pond. Eldon also refought WWII during Axis and Allies games with his best friends for decades. He loved to read and consumed hundreds of books from various genres. Survivors include his sisters Kathy Rasbold of Derby and Annette Wilson (Taylor) married to Evan Wilson of Abilene, his children Levi Taylor of Solomon and Brandy Taylor and her husband Blake Swenson of Lawrence, his grandchildren Nomy, Zinn and Wells Swenson and a niece and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his nephew Joshua Rasbold and his youngest son, Elijah Taylor.

Services will be at Carlson-Becker Funeral Home in Solomon on Friday, January 10, 2025 at 2:00 P.M. There will be a lunch served following the service at the Red Bud Lake Clubhouse, 2191 Eden Road, Abilene, Kansas 67410. All are invited to attend. Online condolences may be sent to www.martinbeckercarlson.com