Robert "Bob" E. Taylor

Robert Edwin “Bob” Taylor passed away peacefully in his home in Niantic, Connecticut on the morning of February 7, 2022 with his wife of 43 years, Barbara Ann Taylor, and his sons Timothy John Taylor and Charles William Taylor, by his side. He joins his daughter Tracy Ann Legg, who passed away suddenly three years ago, in Heaven.

Bob was born in Springfield, Massachusetts on July 30, 1943. He grew up in the Springfield area and graduated from Putnam Vocational High School in 1961. He then served four years in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War, and spoke proudly and often about his time on the USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65). It was this service that inspired Tracy, Chuck, and Tim to serve in the Navy as well.

He worked construction in Texas and California for nine years, and eventually came back home to Massachusetts. After working a few different jobs he settled into a long career in the home healthcare business, work where he found his true passion and joy professionally. Over the years, you could find him at homes and medical supply stores throughout New England, interacting happily with every customer he came across and helping them any way he could. Admirably, Bob treated everyone the same no matter what injury, illness, or handicap they were facing. He knew, and taught others, that everyone is human and also that no matter who you are, a little playful ribbing goes a long way. In his later working years, he volunteered at the local police department and logged 560 hours over 6 years volunteering at the Shriners Hospital for Children.

Bob’s wife and children remember that he found personal joy in many things that simply brought people together. Weekends were often consumed with family gatherings, playing street hockey with the neighborhood kids, going to tag sales, loading the canoe on the car and going bass fishing, taking long drives through the mountains in the Chevrolet station wagon, and playing baseball or football at Van Horn Park. He also enjoyed watching sports and spaghetti westerns on TV, played first-generation Atari and Sega, and led singing sessions of 50’s and 60’s hits that the family is grateful there is no audio or video documentation of. He was also an avid collector of sports memorabilia and tools - the latter of which he maintained multiple copies of for reasons only he will ever know.

In 2003, a cancerous tumor was found on and removed from his neck. He was treated with radiation therapy and although the cancer never returned, Bob spent the remainder of his life dealing with the after effects. Often termed a medical mystery by his family, Bob befuddled countless doctors and nurses with various strange symptoms and diagnoses for nearly 20 years. But Bob and Barbara tackled these many challenges with a positive attitude, and because of their relentless fighting spirit, Bob was able to experience countless additional significant family events such as marriages, births, moves, graduations, baptisms, and first communions.

In addition to Barbara, Chuck, and Tim, he leaves behind daughters-in-law Shannon Taylor, Melanie Taylor, and Monica Sandilands; twelve grandchildren who all knew him as their “Poppie”: Kristen, Samantha, Ashley, Carly, Nathan, Zachary, Sofia, Nicholas, Lucas Robert, Charlie, Molly, and Alyssa; and one great grandchild Olivia. He also leaves behind a large extended family and many friends too numerous to mention but beloved nonetheless.

The Taylors thank the innumerable health care professionals that have been part of their lives over the years. They also thank the Department of Veterans Affairs and other veterans advocacy groups who honored and celebrated his military service. They are grateful for the enduring support of family and friends - whether it came in the form of a phone call, a ride somewhere, running an errand, or a simple visit for a few minutes or a few hours, it all mattered greatly in good times and hard times.

A memorial service will be held at Fulton-Theroux Funeral Home (https://tinyurl.com/2p8ar4xr) in Niantic, CT on Saturday, February 12, 2022. The family will receive guests between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. The memorial service will start at 11:30 am and will include both a military and religious ceremony. Guests will also have the opportunity to come up and tell a story about Bob. The Taylors will host a reception following the service at the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Niantic (http://www.nianticvfw.org).