Taylor Ramsey
November 17, 1917 – February 28, 2013
In fond memory and with profound respect, we honor Taylor Ramsey, an irrigation industry pioneer, beloved family man and friend.
Born Nov. 17, 1917 in Parkerville, Kans., to parents Harry H. and May Ramsey, Taylor Ramsey is survived by his wife, Millie, son Stephen and daughter-in-law Cindy; daughter Claudia Powell and son-in-law Clyde; brother Lauren Ramsey, nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Frances V. Ramsey, and son David L. Ramsey.
Taylor served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was a veteran of the D-Day invasion of Normandy on Utah Beach. He served in Battery C of the 183rd Field Artillery Battalion, and was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in action near Saint-LÔ, France.
Following his discharge from the Army in November of 1945, Taylor became a permanent resident of Lane County, Ore. In 1948, Taylor and Jim Waite co-founded the Ramsey-Waite Company of Eugene, Ore.
In 1953, Taylor founded United Pipe & Supply Co., Inc., a multi-branch, multi-state wholesale distribution company that he ran successfully until his retirement in 2005. During his 50-year career, Taylor was known to love and care for United Pipe customers and employees; he was often recognized as a man who didn’t have “bad days” and his favorite expression was, “Keep smiling and selling.”
An active member of his community and the irrigation industry, Taylor served as past president of the Irrigation Association and the Eugene Chamber of Commerce, and was a founding member and past president of the Eugene Emerald Rotary Club. He was also a board member for the Sacred Heart Hospital and Eugene Water & Electric Board.
Taylor was proud of his family and friendships. For years, he enjoyed sitting on his deck with family, friends, dog and cat and enjoying the view of Fern Ridge, the lights of the city, and the distant Cascade Range. He was a loyal supporter of the Oregon Ducks—and any team where a family member was involved—and never missed a game.
A Kansas farm boy at heart, Taylor spent weekends tending to his Black Angus cattle and Arabian Horses, and never tired of watching the sprinklers in the field.
Memorial donations are kindly welcomed in Taylor’s name to either the Eugene Mission, P.O. Box 1149, Eugene, Ore., 97440 or the Lane Memorial Blood Bank located at 2211 Willamette St., Eugene, Ore., 97405.
Services will be held Monday, March 18, 2013, at 1:30 p.m. at Wesley Methodist Church, located at 1385 Oakway Rd., in Eugene, Ore., 97401. Further information can be obtained by contacting Rest Haven Memorial Park at (541) 345-8521.
