ForeverMissed
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It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of David Chalmers Taylor at the Deer Lodge Centre on October 20, 2018 at the age of 98 years. Dave was born on September 6th, 1920 in Headingley, MB to William Herbert Taylor and Jesse Margaret (Chalmers) Taylor. Dave was the eldest of 3 children and had 2 younger brothers; Frank and Bill. In 1941 Dave was a young private in the Air Force stationed in St. Thomas Ontario when he met the love of his life in nearby London, Ontario. It was love at first sight. In 1942 Dave and Ethel were married in London and soon after were transferred by the Air Force to several postings in eastern and western Canada. After the war, the couple moved to the family farm in Headingley where they settled in to raise a family and began farming. Dave and Ethel lived in Headingley the majority of their married life, raised 3 children and were happily married for over 72 years.

Dave is predeceased by his wife Ethel, his parents William and Jesse Taylor and his brother Frank. Dave is survived by his brother Bill (Audrey), children Robert, Sandra (Larry) and Larry and their respective families including 9 grand children and 9 great grandchildren. As well, Dave leaves behind many nieces, nephews and other close relatives.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Sturgeon One and Deer Lodge Centre for their support, care and compassion. In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Headingley Holy Trinity Anglican Church cemetery fund or an alternate charity of choice. 

A Celebration of Dave's Life will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, May 4th at the Headingley Holy Trinity Anglican Church at 5335 Portage Avenue. A luncheon reception will be at 12:30 to 3:00 PM at the Headingley Community Center located at 5353 Portage Avenue in Headingley. 

October 20, 2023
October 20, 2023
Hi Dad - Can't believe is has been 5 years since your passing. I hope that you and Mom like the new commemorative bench we placed near your grave site. Missing you and Mom especially on this day.
September 22, 2019
September 22, 2019
Happy Belated Birthday to you dad. I miss you a lot and think of you and mom and the happy times we had together. Love From your daughter Sandra
September 6, 2019
September 6, 2019
Happy 99th Birthday today to you Dad. I sure do miss you. Love from your son Larry
May 5, 2019
May 5, 2019
we miss our great n eighbour and "never better " friend .I miss his stories of long ago.He and Ethel were a great help to me when Larry was training in Regina and I was home with 2 little ones.Dave came and babysat our 2 kids when I had to take Larry to the hospital. Always a smile on this kind man.
  Birgitta
April 9, 2019
April 9, 2019
Dad I have many happy memories of all the times we spent together. You and mom were loving parents and grandparents. I miss you both so much. All my love from your daughter Sandra.
April 6, 2019
April 6, 2019
Dad I will always cherish my memories of you especially the time we spent together working the farm and the unselfish time that you shared with your grand children. I miss you so much, please say Hi to Mom for me. Love from your Son Larry

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Recent Tributes
October 20, 2023
October 20, 2023
Hi Dad - Can't believe is has been 5 years since your passing. I hope that you and Mom like the new commemorative bench we placed near your grave site. Missing you and Mom especially on this day.
September 22, 2019
September 22, 2019
Happy Belated Birthday to you dad. I miss you a lot and think of you and mom and the happy times we had together. Love From your daughter Sandra
September 6, 2019
September 6, 2019
Happy 99th Birthday today to you Dad. I sure do miss you. Love from your son Larry
His Life

Dave at Remembrance Day 2017

April 8, 2019

Dad often represented Veterans at the annual Remembrance Day in Headingley.

Article in the Headingley Headliner 2018

April 8, 2019

Losing part of Headingley’s History

Dave Taylor was a member of one of first local families
Headingley Headliner Nov 30, 2018 By Andrea Geary

David (Dave) Chalmers Taylor died on Oct. 20 at the age of 98, taking a connection to Headingley’s origins with him.

Dave will be remembered by many local residents for his devotion to the community, including his work as caretaker at Phoenix School for 32 years, his volunteer work at Holy Trinity Anglican Church where he served as People’s Warden, and as the first chairman of the Headingley Historical Society. He also served as secretary of the Headingley local of Manitoba Pool Elevators for 20 years, and helped redefine the Headingley Agricultural Society’s property as recreational land, part of which is now occupied by the Headingley Community Centre, baseball diamonds and splash park.

Dave served as an aircraft mechanic with the Royal Canadian Air Force in the Second World War. During his time in the Air Force, he met his wife Ethel and they were married in London, Ont. in 1942.

The Taylor family’s name lives on through Taylor Bridge dedicated in 1997, and the new Taylor Farm development both located on part of the original 1,200 acres first owned by Taylor’s great-grandfather the Hon. John Taylor. John Taylor was elected the MLA for Headingley in 1874 and appointed by the Norquay government as the Minister of Agriculture for Manitoba in 1878. John Taylor, who lived to age 88, was married twice and had a total of 22 children.

Dave’s son Larry, who lives in Headingley, said his father was extremely proud of his family’s history and would point out the location of former landmarks to Larry and his brother Robert and sister Sandra. He later shared his father’s stories of life in the Headingley area in the late 1880s with his grandchildren.

Dave’s other great-grandfather, on his grandmother’s side, was Dr. Henry Septimus Beddome, the first medical doctor in Manitoba and a founder of the Medical Health Board of Manitoba incorporated in 1871 and which later became the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba in 1877.

The Taylor family’s roots in the area go back one generation further than John Taylor, as John’s father James emigrated from the Orkney Islands in Scotland and arrived at the Red River Settlement in 1812. James signed on to a five-year contract with the Hudson’s Bay Company and was referred to as a ‘bowsman’ in the Hudson’s Bay archives. He was stationed at several Hudson’s Bay posts in the northern Prairies. He also served as a member of Sir John Franklin’s expedition travelling from Cumberland House to Fort Chipewyan as part of Franklin’s quest to find a Northwest Passage.

James Taylor moved back to Manitoba in 1824 and married Mary Inkster whose father was Chief Factor at Brandon House and for whom Winnipeg’s Inkster Boulevard is named.

Larry said he’s visited James Taylor’s grave in St. Anne’s Anglican Church cemetery in Poplar Point. James’ son John is buried in the Holy Trinity Anglican cemetery, a site for which he donated the land. Larry said his father volunteered to look after the cemetery’s upkeep for many years. Larry remembers accompanying his father to turn on the stove in Holy Trinity Church on a Saturday so the church would be warm enough for worshippers at the Sunday service. Dave and Ethel also helped organize church fundraisers such as rummage sales.

"He spent a lot of time in the community doing things like that," Larry said. "Dad would do anything for anybody."

Dave’s grandfather and father continued to farm the family’s land in Headingley and Dave and his brother Frank took over. About 100 acres of the original landholding along Lyons St. are still held by the family, but are now rented out, Larry said.

Asked what he remembers most about his father’s impact on Headingley, Larry said, "how much people respected him and liked him."

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