Gary Duane Taylor

Gary Duane Taylor passed away on March 9, 2016 in North Kansas City, Missouri. Gary was born February 4, 1937 in Samoa, California. The family moved to Blue Lake, California when Gary was young. He attended schools there and graduated from Arcata High School in 1955. He attended Shasta College in Redding, California for several years.

Gary was a resident of Kansas City, Missouri for over 60 years; he was also a resident of California since June 2001. After moving to Missouri, Gary worked at Ralston Purina and was the owner of two locations of L&T Athletic Goods on Chouteau Trafficway and on North Oak Trafficway. He touched many young athletes' lives through his love of sports. He was instrumental in the creation and growth of the NKC Baseball League, the Northland Suburban Football League and the now- defunct Northland Round Ball League. He was involved in Winnetonka, Oak Park and North Kansas City high schools' athletic programs. He rarely missed any sporting events of his children and grandchildren and coached many local youth's teams outside of his family. He was a devout Christian. He attended the Holt Baptist Church in Holt, Missouri and the Westlyn Church in McKinleyville, California.

Gary married Kay Weirup in 2001 and they became a "blended family". Gary was very proud of his family and often told friends that he had 6 children, 12 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife, Kay Weirup Taylor; brothers, Delbert Taylor and John Taylor; sister, Debbie Jimenez; children, Debbie Lehman, Norman (Andrea) Taylor and Greg (Jacque) Taylor; ex-wife, Lola (Taylor) Jones (mother of his children); daughter-in-law, Suzanne Taylor (Neil's wife); grandchildren, Luke (Dawn) Taylor, Kassy (Brooke) Taylor, Sophie (Jake) Taylor, Melissa Lauber, Neil (Torrie) Taylor, Corey (Leah) Taylor, Blake Taylor and Jake Taylor; great grandchildren, Brok, Londyn, Landyn, Emelia, Nicholas, Zander, Isabella and Preston; step children, Marcus Young and Veronica (Mark) Smith; step grandchildren, Jeremy Pollard, Hailey Young, Stephen Smith and Simeon Smith; sister-in-law Linda Weirup; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents, George and Viola Taylor; his sisters, Laverne Costaa and Jeanette Taylor; his first wife, Sandy Perry and their son, Neil Taylor; son-in-law, Chris Lehman and many special family and friends.