Cherished Memories of Larry Taylor
In Memory of Lawrence Boyd Taylor
1944 - 2025
"It's been a great ride and I have no regrets."
- Larry, this summer, after his diagnosis
Lawrence Boyd Taylor, husband, big brother, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, mentor, friend, and amazing man, left this earth on October 10, 2025. He died at home from the complications of ALS after a diagnosis in June. He was surrounded by love in his last days and throughout the summer, as his community of friends and family came together to support him. He was sad to end his adventures on earth, but he said he had absolutely no regrets about how he had lived his life.
The Beginning
Larry was born on April 10, 1944, and was raised by his parents, Ed and Nancy Taylor, in Oregon, with his sisters, Jan (Monfore) and Barbara (Goetsch). It was at Southern Oregon College that he met the woman destined to share his life, Elaine. Larry was drawn to her vivacious personality and the joy she took from life. Larry and Elaine celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this July. What an amazing milestone! They were at their beloved Kenai cabin toasting the day, when Larry said that Elaine was the catch of his life.
Larry and Elaine spent much of their life "catching" each other and a ton of fish. They actually spent time fishing during their courtship. It was always something they enjoyed doing together, and they continued it throughout their life. Along the way, Larry would roll his eyes and good-naturedly brag about how Elaine had outfished him at various exotic locations. He always knew he had the best catch of all.
Larry and Elaine were married in Oregon after completing their college degrees. Shortly thereafter, he was offered a teaching position in Alaska. They had just eight hours to make this decision, and they said, “Why not?” They journeyed North in 1967, planning to return to Oregon, but became enamored with Alaska’s beauty and opportunities. They never left.
Larry’s first job in Anchorage was teaching math at Mears Junior High School before it even had its own building. Mears and Dimond High School shared the same space at alternating times. While teaching, he met several other young couples that had also accepted positions far from home, and they formed a community of friends that exists to this day. This group explored Alaska together – hiking, fishing, camping, rafting, hunting, and skiing. They were always trying something new together.
Then there were kids
Kids came into the picture soon after arriving in Alaska. Larry and Elaine had a daughter, Lisa (Brest), and a son, Trent (Taylor), and they continued their explorations with them in tow. There was fishing with kids in backpacks and casting lessons with blocks of wood instead of lures. There were canoe trips and sailing voyages at Horseshoe Lake. There were many years of weekend camping treks as well as epic multi-week rafting trips out in the middle of nowhere. In the winter, there was ice skating on the ponds as well as neighborhood broomball matches. There were also many trips to Arctic Valley and Alyeska. Larry patiently coaxed his kids onto the bunny hill and eventually had them skiing the black diamond runs. He kept leading the way.
"We bundled the kids up and brought them along. It was more work but it was always fun."
Elaine
Teacher, business owner, mentor
Larry went back to college in 1969 to earn a master’s in mathematics from the University of Oregon, which led to teaching at the Community College in Anchorage. He enjoyed showing others that math was fun. He was an extraordinary teacher. Kids in the neighborhood sought him out when math didn't make sense. Larry willingly made time to fully and completely explain why each equation worked the way it did. He was never satisfied with giving only the answer. His need for lengthy explanations was very vexing for teenagers, but it was a trait that stands out as a strength as we remember him.
Summers found Larry working in construction with a friend. He was intrigued by the complexities of building and loved the idea of running his own business. He made the monumental decision to stop teaching full-time and started a construction company with another friend. He was hooked. He eventually opened his own remodeling company. The company grew, and before long, it made sense for Elaine to quit her job as a dental hygienist and join him to run Taylored Construction. Larry was the estimator, and Elaine was the production manager. Owning and running a company together became another adrenaline-packed ride they shared.
Taylored grew over the years into a company with offices in 3 locations and over 100 employees. The philosophy that Larry and Elaine used to run their company was one of a teacher/mentor and shared responsibility. Larry loved teaching all his employees about business, life, and doing the right thing. He empowered his employees and accepted that learning would involve mistakes along the way. If a mistake was made, there was no disciplinary action; instead, the question was, “What can you do better next time?” They believed in the growth of the people who worked for them. As one of their past employees stated, “You helped me be a better man and led me to the realization that in life your greatest wealth is the people that surround you.”
As part of his business philosophy, Larry believed in strengthening the business community, and he served as President of the Anchorage Homebuilders Association and of the Alaska State Homebuilders. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Alaskan Craftsman Home Program. Elaine also served a term as President of the Homebuilders. Larry rejoiced in Elaine’s success in the construction field and bragged about her often. They truly were equal partners in their business, with Larry always treating Elaine and her opinions with respect. A great man allows those around him to shine.
Larry absolutely loved to ponder the complexities of business and life. He enthusiastically shared his knowledge. Time was needed if you asked him a question, because he would want to give you the complete answer – slowly and in the proper order, with no skipping ahead. He would get out his paper, draw a diagram, and then start looking for solutions. He did not judge you for confessing you had backed yourself into a corner; instead, he helped find resolutions. His willingness to share knowledge opened doors.
Traveling the globe
Larry and Elaine did not stop at exploring Alaska and running a business – they also traveled the world. Their love of travel was sparked when they were invited to go to Rota, a small island near Guam, with Elaine’s parents just after they were married. Experiencing a completely different culture and seeing the variety of beauty in the world was addicting. They could not get enough. Their stories are astounding. Larry and Elaine snorkeled in Rota, counted dolphins on the Amazon, helicoptered to rivers in Russia, boogie boarded in Australia, fished in sheep fields in New Zealand, saved turtle eggs in Surinam, rode camels in Egypt, hiked the Great Wall in China, went bone fishing in Belize, cruised the Rhine in the Netherlands, photographed blue footed boobies in the Galapagos, hunted for gelato in Croatia, kayaked in Honduras, listened to howler monkeys in Costa Rica, kissed the Blarney Stone in Ireland, fed children in Guatemala, caught peacock bass in Brazil, visited with penguins in Argentina, explored Machu Picchu in Peru, fished for golden dorado in Bolivia, caught tarpon in Mexico, and photographed animals in Africa.
The Beginning
Larry was born on April 10, 1944, and was raised by his parents, Ed and Nancy Taylor, in Oregon, with his sisters, Jan (Monfore) and Barbara (Goetsch). It was at Southern Oregon College that he met the woman destined to share his life, Elaine. Larry was drawn to her vivacious personality and the joy she took from life. Larry and Elaine celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this July. What an amazing milestone! They were at their beloved Kenai cabin toasting the day, when Larry said that Elaine was the catch of his life.
Larry and Elaine were married in Oregon after completing their college degrees. Shortly thereafter, he was offered a teaching position in Alaska. They had just 8 hours to make this decision, and they said, “Why not?” They journeyed North in 1967, planning to return to Oregon, but became enamored with Alaska’s beauty and opportunities. They never left.
Larry’s first job in Anchorage was teaching math at Mears Junior High School before it even had its own building. Mears and Dimond High School shared the same space at alternating times. While teaching, he met several other young couples that had also accepted positions far from home, and they formed a community of friends that exists to this day. This group explored Alaska together – hiking, fishing, camping, rafting, hunting, and skiing. They were always trying something new together.
Growing a family to cherish
In between world adventures, Larry and Elaine continued to nurture their family. They gained lovely additions to their family with the marriages of their children to Natalee (Wigen), Nick (Brest), and Kristin (Buch), and they were blessed with eight grandchildren: Jazmin, Toni, Tiana (Patrick), Liv, & Louis Taylor, George, Sam, & Zoe Brest. The latest joyful addition is the great-granddaughter, Opal. Larry and Elaine went from a solitary couple to a lively, large family that all reside in Alaska.
Family was Larry’s greatest joy. He attended games and events, never missing a match. Larry said that his dad would run from one end of the track to the other to cheer him on. Larry was just like him. Once, he showed up to watch Lisa’s soccer game in his hip boots. He spent many late hours at the baseball field cheering for Trent in extra innings, sometimes with snow falling on them. He also took the time to teach both his kids (and every grandkid) how to swing a golf club. He instructed the family on how to tie flies and how to knot a lure so it would not come off. He taught them to ride boogie boards in Hawaii and to race a sailboat across the waves. Larry had a busy life, but he always took time for his family.
Gpa taught me how to clean a fish. He was patient, and I gained confidence from it."
Toni Taylor
The things he loved
One of Larry’s other great loves was photography. The master bathroom doubled as a darkroom in the early days of marriage. There were magnificently captured moments displayed in the home he lived in. In the 60s and 70s, they were all black-and-white. When technology went digital, he poured himself into learning how to take and edit photos. His striking photographs never failed to prompt conversation among new visitors. Rosemary, a treasured family member, shared that she noticed that Larry smiled whenever he shared his photos, speaking of that moment and savoring the memory.
Larry and Elaine spent many months driving and hiking across the United States in various motorhomes over the years. Each Spring and Fall, they would take off to the Lower 48 and spend 6 to 8 weeks exploring, hiking, and taking photos. Their favorite places in the States include the Redwoods, the Oregon coast, and the red rock formations in Arizona. There were also golf courses. If there was golf in the area, then it was a good place to stop.
All who spent time with Larry know of his love of golf. After retirement, Larry golfed 6 days a week. In Hawaii, every morning (except Sunday), he left the house at 6:50 am and was one of the first on the course. Elaine golfed with him four of those days, but her love of golf is not quite as consuming as his was. Larry loved golf. He really loved it. There were some days he played two rounds in one day.
Larry was not only an avid golfer, but he also worked out daily and rode his bicycle several times a week. He was the person we all pointed to and said, “WOW”. One of the accomplishments he was most proud of was competing as part of a team in the Lavaman Triathlon. He did it two years in a row. He was on a 3-person team and completed the bicycle stage of the event. It was 26 miles of biking in the intense sun with riders of every age. He put his determination into training and completing his first event at the age of 75. He tackled it with enthusiasm, determination, and a solid plan. It is the same way he took on all the challenges he met in life.
I remember my dad and my kids taking photos together in the botanical garden. They would crouch down together to get the best shots. They were all having such fun. It was magic.
Lisa Brest (Taylor)
"Pay it Forward"
A sentiment Larry honored throughout his life
Larry was a generous man. He was known for stepping up when someone needed a hand. He sincerely believed in making the world a better place by personally doing what he could and felt that those he helped would "pay it forward."
We ask that you also look for someone you could lend a hand to in his memory, or, if no one comes to mind, consider Challenge Alaska. This local organization helps people who need extra support to participate in recreational activities. As we navigated life the last few months with him in a wheelchair, it was very much emphasized how complex everyday tasks could be. This organization goes beyond day-to-day living and brings joy and excitement that can be difficult to find when you are not mobile.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts - Lisa & Elaine
We have had a ton of support since the diagnosis. Thank you to so many people. My boys, who were in town when I was not, and who did so very much to help initially, in the middle, and at the end. To the entire community on Funny River Road who turned out in force to build ramps, run to the store, and visit every day. There were so many visitors. It was so wonderful. A special thank you for the rescues when Larry was stuck and an extra hand was needed. Mike, Bill, Steve, and Denny—there were some challenging moments, and your sense of humor and get-er-done attitude helped. Steve and Susie for so many things. Nick, for putting summer plans on hold to convert the basement and all the dinners that were brought downstairs. Some fantastic people in the medical industry in Soldotna made a tough time a little easier—especially Rue Olliver, Dr. McDunough, and all the staff who worked with us at those facilities. Joe for medical supplies and equipment, and answering so many phone calls. Toni for multiple visits and the extra help figuring out how to work things. Trent for consistently making phone calls to talk Mom down. Leslie and Lanette for helping us navigate through so many new arenas. Theresa, for the outstanding, nurturing care. Heather for answering tough questions & finding resources. Kristin, for so many visits from across town when we really needed them. Natalee, for your calming presence. Thank you to everyone who visited, brought food, sent a card, or just gave us an extra hug. Community in Alaska is strong, and we really appreciate it.
We have so many great memories. We love and miss you. Thank you for everything.
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