Newell Taylor

Newell Derrill Taylor was born September 8, 1950 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Robert Derrill Taylor and Rena Elizabeth Ashby Taylor. He was the first son and the third of seven children. Newell grew up in Salt Lake City with his siblings Vicky, Gaile (who passed away as a child when Newell was very young), Thomas, Wendy, and two adopted siblings, Ted and Becky.

In his youth he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America, played the french horn in high school as well as the Salt Lake Youth Symphony, and worked hard in academia with much success. He was a devout, active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. After graduating from Olympus High School, Newell attended one year of Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. He then paused his education to serve a two year proselyting mission in Düsseldorf, Germany in the German language. After his mission, he attended the University of Utah graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, then continued on to graduate school at the California Institute of Technology (Cal Tech) and the University of California - Berkeley. Post-graduation he got a job at Upjohn Company in Kalamazoo, Michigan where they lived for over a decade. He then worked for Abbott Laboratories in Chicago, Illinois for a couple of years, and then for ISP Chemicals in Paducah, Kentucky for a few years (but resided there for over a decade). He later settled in Murfreesboro, Tennessee to be closer to doctors and family/grandchildren.

Newell met Jalene Young while living in California. They married and were sealed for eternity on August 21,1975 in the Salt Lake Temple. They had their first child Michelle while Newell attended school in California, and twins—Stacey and Natalie—in Michigan. While raising his young family and working hard in his career, Newell served faithfully in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in various callings and devoted endless hours of service to others.

Unbeknownst to some, Newell struggled with depression and anxiety most of his life, along with kidney disease and enduring dialysis the last several years (among other health issues). Despite the mental struggles he battled, he successfully raised his family, had a lucrative career, and always took care of his wife and daughters. He was truly the epitome of grit and endless hope. He never gave up and he persevered to the end. He passed away August 18, 2022 at the age of 71 at a hospice center in Nashville, Tennessee.

He was a genius, a survivor, a loved son of God, a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ, a son, brother, nephew, grandson, student, friend, missionary, husband, employee, father, uncle, grandfather (“Papa”), and an amazing human loved for his humor. He will be greatly missed, but his family awaits a joyous reunion in heaven.

He is survived by his wife Jalene Taylor (Murfreesboro, TN), his three daughters Michelle Sanford (Hendersonville, TN), Stacey Gilday (Matt–Hendersonville, TN), Natalie Bergquist (Aaron–St. George, UT), his siblings Thomas Taylor (Pam–Salt Lake City, UT), Wendy Johnston (Carl–St. George, UT), Ted Taylor (Blackfoot, ID), Becky Taylor (Blackfoot, ID), and nine grandchildren (Ethan Sanford, Claire Sanford, Renae Sanford, Porter Bergquist, Simon Gilday, Eliza Gilday, Caleb Bergquist, Sophie Gilday, and Ean Gilday). He was preceded in death by his parents (Robert Derrill Taylor and Rena Elizabeth Ashby Taylor), and two of his sisters (Vicky Ann Taylor and Roberta Gaile Taylor).