Stephen Keith Taylor, 74, of Holland, entered the presence of Christ at Lakeside Vista in Holland on January 17, 2019.
Stephen was born in Los Angeles, California, on March 28, 1944, the son of Jolly and Inez Taylor. He graduated from Eagle Rock High School in Los Angeles in 1962 and served in the U.S. Air Force from 1962 to 1964, during which he was stationed in the Philippines.
Stephen married Nancy Carol Thomson on August 22, 1969, following their graduation from Pasadena College. They moved to Nevada, where he earned his Ph.D. in organic chemistry at the University of Nevada, Reno. He worked as a research chemist at DuPont in Wilmington, Delaware, for four years. While there, Stephen and Nancy had a son and a daughter. In 1978, the family moved to Bourbonnais, Illinois, where Stephen was a professor of organic chemistry at Olivet Nazarene College. Seven years later, he took a similar position at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. He spent the rest of his career at Hope, teaching and doing summer research with students, retiring in 2009 after 24 years. He attended Central Wesleyan and Park Christian Reformed Church in Holland.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy, in 2013 and his sister, Barbara Kellogg, in 2017.
Stephen is survived by his children, Daniel (Jennifer) Taylor of Zeeland and Melissa Taylor of Holland; a grandson, Drew, and granddaughter, Brynn; a sister, La Donna Taylor of California; a brother, J. Roland Taylor of Quebec, Canada, as well as several cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Stephen dedicated his life to mentoring students in chemistry and loved to share and discuss his Christian faith. (He also enjoyed sharing a familiar joke or two.) He touched the lives of those around him in deep and meaningful ways, with his warm and compassionate personality, leaving a legacy of faithfulness to God and love for others.
Visitation will be 4:00-6:00 pm Friday, January 25 at Park Christian Reformed Church, 1496 W 32
nd
St., Holland. The funeral service will be 10:00 am Saturday, January 26 also at the church. Rev. Daniel Steen will officiate. Burial will be in Graafschap Cemetery. Memorial contributions in Stephen’s name can be sent to The Navigators, P.O. Box 6079, Albert Lea, MN 56007-6679. Arrangements are by Langeland-Sterenberg Funeral Home and condolences may be left online at
www.langelandsterenberg.com
.
