Kenneth Gordon "Ken" Taylor

Kenneth Gordon "Ken" Taylor of Ruston, LA, beloved husband, father, brother and friend, passed away on October 31st, 2025. He was born December 14th, 1934, In Harvey, IL to Floyd and Loretta Taylor. He grew up in the nearby village of Hazel Crest, graduated from Thornton Township High School and attended Thornton Junior College before joining the U.S. Air Force as an aviation cadet.

On completing pilot training in 1957, he was assigned to a C-119 troop carrier wing at Dreux, France transporting troops and cargo to NATO bases throughout Western Europe. Returning to the States in 1960, he was assigned to Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, MS, where he met and married the love of his life, Delores Fayard.

In 1965 they began a 2 ½ year stay at Naha, Okinawa. During that tour, Ken flew C-130s, shuttling freight and troops to and from and within Vietnam and Thailand. A benefit of that period enjoyed by both Ken and Delores was the opportunity to engage in off-duty travel around much of Eastern Asia.

Reassigned to McCoy Air Force Base in Orlando in 1968, he began a six-year stint as a B-52 pilot, logging more than 300 bombing missions over Vietnam while on deployments to Guam and Thailand. There he earned the Air Medal with 15 oak leaf clusters and received the Distinguished Flying Cross on two occasions. During those years, he was excited to have the family grow with a daughter, Cynthia, and a son, Greg.

A final relocation by the Air Force brought the family to Barksdale Air Force Base, where Ken directed the group responsible for in flight proficiency evaluations of B-52 and FB 111 air crews throughout the Strategic Air Command. He spent his last year at Barksdale as commander of the 596th Bomb Squadron before retiring in 1976 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Moving then to Ruston for Ken to attend Graduate School at Louisiana Tech, the family quickly sunk roots and stayed on. After graduating and becoming a CPA, Ken joined the staff of the Louisiana Legislative Auditor, where he counted beans until retiring in 1996.

He was a member of Trinity Methodist Church of Ruston. He also found fulfillment in various capacities in civic and charitable organizations, including Rotary Club of Ruston, Habitat for Humanity and Council on Aging. Past times he enjoyed were golfing (playing abysmally), woodworking (producing admirable piles of sawdust), sailing (enthusiastic novice) and travelling (well-seasoned).

Ken is survived by Delores, his wife of 64 years, his daughter, Cynthia Taylor Duet (Joel Gautreaux), and son Gregory Taylor (Michelle). Surviving grandchildren are Jonathan Taylor (Amber), Olivia Taylor, Max Duet, and Jesse Duet, and surviving great-grandchildren are Khloe Taylor, and twin great-grandsons, Ryker and Liam Taylor. Also surviving are stepsister, Mary Sue Cefalu and stepbrother Robert "Bob" Vecchio, and nephews and nieces Larry Jennings (Beverly), Jodie Tavares, Rick Taylor (Rose), Laurie Allspaugh (Jeff), and Lynn Stockman (Greg).

The family would like to invite all who knew and loved Ken to join his visitation at Trinity Methodist Church, 1000 Woodward Ave., in Ruston on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 1pm followed by a memorial service at 2pm.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to a charity of your choice. To leave an online memorial message for the family, please visit: www.owensmemorialfuneralhome.com

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