ORONO – Roger F. Taylor, 89, University of Maine forest superintendent, emeritus, died peacefully March 5, 2008. He was born May 30, 1918, in Amherst, Mass., the son of Arthur and Freda (Humphrey) Taylor, and lived on a farm in North Amherst, Mass. He graduated from Amherst High School and Stockbridge School of Agriculture at Massachusetts State College. After working at several jobs including furniture moving and trucking, log and lumber scaling and grading for the 1938 Hurricane Timber Salvage Administration and a Massachusetts lumber company and machine operator in a tap and die plant. Roger was appointed superintendent of UMaine forest in Orono. He held this position from 1946 until his retirement in 1983. While employed at UMaine, he continued his studies and became an alumnus in 1951. From 1947 to 1956, he was resident nurseryman for the Maine State Forest Nursery, Orono. From 1949 until 1975, he served as a volunteer member of UMaine Fire Department, serving as chief for much of that time. Roger was a registered land surveyor, licensed professional forester, member of the Society of American Foresters, member of Orono and Old Town Kiwanis Club and other community projects, including maintenance and distribution of health aids for the Orono Health Association. During his tenure at UMaine, he received a number of honors from both faculty and students, which included dedication of several yearbooks in his name, receipt of a Distinguished Professor Award from UMaine College of Forest Resources and several citations for his assistance to the UMaine Woodsmen’s Team and other campus organizations. He was an honorary member of Xi Sigma Pi, the forestry honor society. Roger is survived by his wife of 67 years, Mary (Butynski) Taylor of Orono; one daughter and her husband, Eileen Taylor Haggerty and Lyle Haggerty, of Northampton, Mass.; three sons, Arthur and his wife, Linda Taylor, of Milford, Larry Taylor of Keene, N.H., and Gene Taylor of Ware, Mass.; two granddaughters, Andrea Taylor of Milford and Madisen Taylor of Ware, Mass.; several nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, March 13, at Our Lady Wisdom Parish and Newman Center, 83 College Ave., Orono. The family suggests contributions to the Roger F. and Mary T. Taylor Scholarship Fund at University of Maine Foundation, 2 Alumni Place, Orono, ME 04469.
ROGER F. TAYLOR
