Ross Taylor
Thursday, October 3, 2013
By: Bill McQuade

Tribute to Ross Taylor

Ross was my friend, husband and father to our three beautiful daughters Leslie, Susan and Christine. We met in 1957 working for CP Rail in Toronto. We dated on and off for three years before we married in September, 1960. Ross was such a gentleman. Kind, wise, compassionate,
loving and most of all he had a great sense of humour. He was such a great storyteller. Friends were always asking him to tell them a story of his life experiences , and he had many. He was such a history buff . Ross was a constant reader on all of the wars, especially WW 1 and WW2 and the people involved in them. He was like an encyclopedia. He never forgot anything. He had a sharp mind. Friends said he should have been a teacher as he was so knowledgeable. But that was not his fate. He worked for CP Rail for seven years. Then worked in the Fire Services for 29 years. He retired in 1993. After retirement he had an opportunity to work as a Court Clerk in the Toronto College Street Court. He said this was the best job he ever had. This gave him many new stories to add to his repertoire. He loved life. Was very active in sports in his early years. Played baseball and hockey.
Was always working to perfect his "Horse Race" game. Which he did. Always thinking and developing new ideas and games. Ross was always surrounded with love. Not only our three daughters but their husbands and our five grandchildren whom he loved dearly. He was first diagnosed with Stage 1 Kidney Cancer. Ross was operated on in September, 2010. We were told that they had got the cancer. And that no further treatment was required other than the regular checkups over a five year period. Two months after his surgery Ross started experiencing sharp pains in and around the area where the kidney was removed. Many tests were done and in February, 2011 he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He had two chemo treatments but was unable to move forward with further treatments as he was so weak. On May 1st, 2011 he shut his eyes and left this world.
I have lost a friend and soul mate. I hold onto so many fond memories of our life together. I am so lucky to have had Ross, a unique human being in my life. And for that I will always be grateful. This poem by "Etienne de Grellet du Mabillier" sums up who Ross was.
I expect to pass through this world but once;
any good thing therefore that I can do,
or any kindness that I can show
to any fellow creature,
let me do it now;
let me not defer or neglect it,
for I shall not pass this way again.

Love,
Catherine