Howard J. Taylor

Howard J. Taylor, 84, of Great Falls, passed away September 19, 2017.A memorial service will be held Saturday, September 23, 2017 at Hillcrest Lawn Memorial Chapel at 10:00 a.m. Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.Howard was born on January 10, 1933 in Stanford, Montana to Howard F. and Ethel (Svejkovsky) Taylor. He graduated from Fort Benton High School in 1952. He went on to attend the University of Wyoming where he graduated with a bachelors degree in 1957. He completed his Masters Degree of Education in 1964 at Colorado State College. He taught in Shoshone, Wyoming for 1 year and then moved to Great Falls where he taught for 30 years. He was a member of the teaching staff at the old Paris Gibson Junior High School before teaching at Charles M. Russell High School (CMR). He was one of the original faculty members when CMR first opened. He was an Industrial Arts teacher and a wrestling coach at CMR where they won the first state championship trophy in CMR history. This was the 1971 wrestling team, with this he personally won the Montana Coach of the Year award for wrestling. He earned his airplane pilot license shortly after retirement and spent his time helping out at the Civil Air Patrol.He married Artha Eustance in 1953, after he graduated from high school. They were married for 64 years and had three sons.Many summers were spent at Seeley Lake boating with the family. He loved skiing, fishing, and hunting. During the winter months he and Artha traveled to Arizona.Howard was a member of the Great Falls Carving Club, lifetime Elks Lodge member, Montana Pilots Association member, and a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity.He is survived by his wife, Artha Taylor of Great Falls; sons James (Chris) Taylor of Arlee, Michael (Laura) and Dale Taylor both of Great Falls; brothers Leroy (Anna) and Earl (Star) Taylor both of Fort Benton; 10 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.Howard was preceded in death by his parents; sister Lenora Marie Taylor and daughter-in-law Teri Renee Taylor.Memorials in Howards name may be made to Peace Hospice or a charity of the donors choice.