WALNUT — Donald M. “Don” Taylor, 87, a longtime rural Walnut resident, died at 9:40 a.m. Thursday, March 31, 2011, at Prairie Mission Retirement Village in St. Paul.

He was born on Dec. 24, 1923, at rural Walnut to Guy and Florence (Oldham) Taylor. He grew up on the family farm near Walnut and attended Walnut schools, graduating from Walnut High School.

He served in the United States Navy during World War II. While in the Navy he was a boxer and played basketball on the fleet basketball team. He was honorably discharged in 1946.

He returned home and married Dessie Bass on Feb. 24, 1946, at the Walnut Methodist Church. She preceded him in death on April 5, 2009.

Don was a lifelong rural Walnut resident where he farmed and raised Angus cattle. He also worked at Ash Grove in Chanute, Blair Trailers in Erie and at Churchill in Chanute, from which he retired.

He was a member of Erie Christian Church, the Walnut Masonic Lodge and the Walnut VFW. He loved to fish and spend time outdoors observing wildlife. He was a true outdoorsman. He enjoying watching sports of all kinds, but most of all he loved and cherished his family, especially his grandchildren.

He is survived by two sons, Don Taylor Jr. and his wife, Debi, of Erie and Ken Taylor and his wife, Glenda, of Walnut; two daughters, Julia Johnson and her husband, Pat, of Erie and Joyce Fields of Westphalia; 12 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; and a brother, Robert Taylor of Girard.

In addition to his wife he was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Robin Buntin.

The service will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Erie Christian Church. Burial will follow in the Mount Moriah Cemetery north of Erie. Masonic rites will be given by the Walnut Masonic Lodge and military honors will be conducted by the Walnut VFW. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Pierce-Carson-Wall Funeral Home at Erie.

Memorials are suggested to the Erie Christian Church or the Prairie Mission Retirement Village Activity Fund and these may be left at or mailed to the funeral home, 303 N. Grant St., P.O. Box 182, Erie, 66733.

Online condolences may be left at www.wallfuneralservices.com.