David Alan Taylor, 95, died peacefully in Provo, Utah, March 13, 2025. He was born in Spanish Fork, Utah on April 4, 1929, the fourth of the five children of Marion Rogers Taylor and Josephine Crandall Taylor. They were a family of merchants. His father owned a furniture store M.R. Taylor Co., a branch of Taylor Brothers, in Spanish Fork, and Dave and his siblings would work alongside their dad at the furniture store. He loved animals, particularly dogs and horses, which was clearly a family trait evidenced by when his own father sneaked a puppy into the hospital by carrying it in his pocket when Dave was born, to introduce them. When Dave was a boy of 13 years old, he'd ride his horse from Spanish Fork to Provo Canyon, which would take an entire day. He loved to ride up into the high peaks with his mentor Nick Wolfenden. Nick had a flock of sheep and Dave would help heard the sheep and check the traps set for the coyotes. Nick was the best. He'd fly fish while Dave would watch the horses.

A sadness in Dave's life occurred when the family home burned down in Spanish Fork and the family relocated to their Wildwood cabin up in Provo Canyon. Dave recalls riding his bike down from Wildwood to Vivian Park, where the family kept two cows, milking them, and riding back to Wildwood pulling the milk cans in a cart that his dad had rigged up to his bicycle. But Dave did have a happy childhood. In high school, he played a role in the play, Harvey, where played a prank on the closing night of the show by setting off a cherry bomb in a pot, shocking the cast and audience. He loved to play tennis with his sister Merle. He idolized his older brother Dick. Later in life, he and Dick bummed around France for a few weeks talking about Dick's time fighting in World War II. They were life-long close friends.

After high school, Dave attended the University of Utah for a year. He then served a mission in the French/Belgian mission. His favorite location to serve was in Switzerland. And he was forever thereafter, a Francophile. Upon returning from his mission, he transferred to Brigham Young University, graduating with a degree in Business. After graduation, he served in the United States Air Force where he was a pilot flying the B-25 Bomber. He didn't care for flying fighter jets and told stories about how air sick he would get when his RAF trainer would pull flying stunts on him. He met and married Joyce Bright on August 6, 1955, while in the Air Force in Texas. They were blessed with a daughter Shauna Peterson (David). He and Joyce later divorced.

He was honorably discharged from the Air Force when his father passed away and he took over the family business in Spanish Fork. He supported his mother by purchasing the business from his siblings and making it a success. In 1956, he opened another carpet store, Taylor Carpets, in Orem, Utah, selecting the location when flying over the area and deciding that it would be an area of future growth. Of course, he guessed correctly with his store was only a couple of blocks from the future University Mall. Dave also opened Taylor Carpets in Provo, Utah. Dave worked along side his own children in the business, with his son Matt eventually taking over as the owner of the business. Dave was very proud of this legacy. Over the years, he loved to try out different marketing and product concepts, like selling high-end furniture and opening a gift shop that sold ice cream.

Dave married Sally Helen Thorne on June 10, 1959, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. Together they had four children, Matthew Michael Alan Taylor (Teri), Josephine (Jolynne) Lynn Taylor Miner (Mark), Jennifer Mary Taylor Peña (Carlos), and Andrew David Taylor. He built a mid-century modern home in Orem after Sally helped him pick out the lot. The property included a beautiful pasture with horse barn, for his beloved horses Marjoram and Prince. He had a horse cart with attachable skis which was lots of fun for the kids.

Dave went back to school to get his MBA but wasn't able to complete the degree due to illness. He was active in the Orem Chamber of Commerce and served as President. He was an advocate for joining the Orem and Provo Chambers together and went door-to-door meeting with his fellow businessman, achieving the unification of the two Chambers.

Dave was ahead of his time, encouraging his wife Sally to pursue advanced degrees and a career as a university professor. It brought him joy to watch her successes and he felt extremely lucky to have her love. They went on study abroad for six months to London with Sally's work. And they served a mission together in French Guiana. They loved to travel the world together. One of Dave's favorite trips was an unstructured trip to New Zealand. He returned saying "I only made one mistake in my life, and it was not moving to New Zealand in the 1950s."

Of course, one of his greatest joys was his membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was an avid reader and loved to read all books, but especially spy novels and the study of the scriptures and books by LDS general authorities. He had an abiding and firm faith and was anxious to meet Sally in the hereafter after she passed away on December 7, 2023. He'd often proclaim his love of Jesus Christ to his children and grandchildren.

The children will remember his desire to provide for them, help them, and encourage them, and his joy and laughter when they described their fun and adventures. He was never envious and lived with humility. They will remember his love of nature and his love of beautiful Timpanogos Mountain. He'd looked out his floor-to-ceiling windows designed to look at his mountain and call the family over to admire its unique beauty of that day.

He is survived by his sister Merle Maier, his five children and their spouses, his 14 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.

The family would like to express their gratitude to the many people who provided care, support, companionship, and friendship to Dave. He never wanted to impose. He was reluctant to receive help saying, "someone else needs it more than me," but many friends, Valeo hospice workers, Claudia Ortinez-Lara his caregiver, and church members served him with Christlike love and compassion.

Interment at the Provo City Cemetery.

A webcast of the service will be available at www.walkersanderson.com