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1943 Grant 2020

Grant Hardy Taylor

May 18, 1943 — December 14, 2020

Saratoga Springs

Grant Hardy Taylor, 77, died on 14 December 2020.  Grant was born on 18 May 1943 to Norris John Taylor and Josephine Hardy Taylor in the family home in Clinton, Utah to the light of a flashlight because the home construction had not progressed to the point of having electricity.  He remained in this home until the age of 14.  He graduated from Clinton Elementary with students from Clinton, Sunset and South Weber cities.  Graduation from North Davis Jr High and Davis High School followed.
Grant enjoyed camping, fishing and just being outdoors.  Chuck Loveless joined Grant as a frequent fishing partner through many years.  Grant enjoyed animals and participated in 4H and Future Farmers of America (FFA), showing Guernsey dairy cattle.  In elementary and jr high school he decided to be a dairy farmer.  He made sure all his kids could tell one breed of cow from another.  As a senior in high school, as part of an English assignment, he predicted he would be a psychologist in the Utah State Prison.  That prediction did not come true until many years later.
After one year at Brigham Young University he was called to serve in the North Argentine Mission.  His mission lasted 2 ½ years including several months at the Language Training Mission.  He returned to BYU, supporting himself by working at nursing homes, mental health facilities and finally at the Utah State hospital.
In spite of his pledge to not get married because of the pain caused by his parents divorce, he met and fell in love with Sharon Ilene Swapp, a farm girl who lived across the street.  They were married on 2 September 1967 in the Manti, UT temple.   That date was chosen to accommodate Sharon’s brother, Bill, being sealed at the same time.
As college graduation approached the local draft board informed Grant that he would be drafted in 30 days if he did not join the service of his choice.  The college option plan was selected because it required the smallest service commitment.  Grant entered the United States Army and graduated from Officer’s Candidate School (OCS) in 1968.  While in training their first child, Shalene was born on 19 May 1968.  Grant was then stationed to Fort Bragg, NC, where their second child, David was born on 7 August 1969.  Two months later Grant deployed to Vietnam for a one year assignment, earning the Bronze Star for heroic and meritorious achievement.
After returning from Viet Nam, Grant accepted employment with LDS Social Services in Oregon for one and a half years.  Then he was accepted into a Masters degree program at BYU.  He simultaneously attended school and worked at a mental health facility.  Their third child, Dawnya, was born on 30 September 1974.  Their fourth child, Shane was born on 28 June 1976.  Their fifth and final child, Devin, was born on 24 February 1979.  Grant then worked at Utah State Adult Probation and Parole while completing his doctorate from BYU in Counseling Psychology in 1981.
Grant then resumed working for LDS Social Services in the Indian student placement program.  Because of changes within the organization he began working as a clinician.  Afterward, Grant was asked to serve as the Director of the Virginia agency, necessitating moving the family to Richmond, VA in 1984.  Another work transfer brought the family back to Utah in 1992, with Grant serving in the Salt Lake agency, and then Provo.  He retired from LDS Family Services after 30 years of service.
Grant worked in private practice almost consistently from the time he was independently licensed until total retirement in 2018.  During that time he took referrals from bishops, and stake presidents, but primarily worked with vocational rehabilitation through the State of Utah.  He traveled frequently to Delta, Manti, Nephi and Fillmore.  Grant worked with Kenyon on an on call basis, responding to tragedies including the world trade towers after 9/11, tsunamis and airline accidents.  He also completed Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) at the age of 65, and subsequently worked for several years in the Utah State Prison as a counseling psychologist before joining Noetic Psychology.  This was his last, major work.
Grant suffered a heart attack in 2010, resulting in six bypass, open heart surgery.  After recovering he continued to fish, spend time outdoors and be with his family.  He was called to a second mission on 9 September 2012 as a Service Missionary.  He met with prospective missionaries and carried out duties as a psychologist as directed by the stake president.  In July 2018 he was diagnosed with a rare strain of pancreatic cancer.  The Taylor family would like to thank the caring staff of Symbii Home Help and Hospice, and Dawnya and Jeff Halliday specifically for their loving care during Grant’s last days on this Earth.  Grant passed away surrounded by family and friends.  He is survived by his wife Sharon, his five children, ten grandchildren, his brother John and his sister Patricia.   He is preceded in death by his parents, Josephine and Norris, and his older bother Roger.
Funeral services will be held Friday, 18 December 2020, at 11:00 AM in the Sundberg-Olpin Mortuary located at 495 S State Street, Orem Utah.  A viewing will be held Friday, prior to the service, from 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM.  Burial will be held at the Clinton Cemetery with military honors at 3 PM.  In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints missionary fund.
Due to COVID-19, please wear a mask and practice social distancing.
Live Stream of the services will be available at https://www.facebook.com/wheelermortuary
To send flowers to the family in memory of Grant Hardy Taylor, please visit our flower store.

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