Gary Eugene Taylor was born June 25, 1943, in Springfield, Missouri, and was raised in Spencer, Iowa, the firstborn son of Chester (Chet) and Dorothy Taylor.

   Gary graduated from Spencer High School in 1961, and recently attended his 60th class reunion. He served in the Iowa National Guard and joined the Spencer Police Department in 1965, eventually serving as Captain until 1977. He moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to join a family construction business building homes and later spent seven years working in security for the South Dakota School for the Deaf. In 1988, Gary became a Deputy Sheriff for Minnehaha County until his retirement from the department in 2002 and spent the next eight years working security for Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

   In 2008, Gary married Beverley Skyberg and soon after fulfilled his dream of building a log cabin on Lake Hendricks, South Dakota, which he fondly called “Lone Star on the Water.”

   Gary was a classic movie buff, collected John Wayne memorabilia, spent many hours woodworking, and rebuilt a 1964 Buick Electra. Gary had a particularly soft heart for rescue dogs, adopting several over the years.

   Gary passed away on Saturday, October 1, 2022, at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister-in-law Sandra Jill Wetton; and many beloved rescue dogs.

   Gary is survived by his wife, Bev; step-son, Lt. Chadrick (Rachael) Skyberg and their children Sebastian, Allison, and Benjamin of Honolulu, Hawaii; daughters: Melissa (David) Hein and Cynthia of North Branch, MN; brother, Dr. Dennis (Linda) Taylor and sister, Jane (Dave) Nelson of Spencer, IA; youngest brother, Tim (Sherry) Taylor of Kansas City, MO, as well as nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and his loyal Beagle, Skippy.

The family kindly requests in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to People for Pets or the First Congregational Church in Spencer.

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