Leo Taylor, age 93, of Circle, MT passed away February 22, 2010 at McCone County Nursing Home.
Leo was born August 8, 1916 in Glasgow, KY to Rufus and Correna Taylor. His parents homesteaded in eastern Montana in the early 1900’s. He was the 12th sibling of 13. Leo’s family went back to Kentucky when he was a couple of years old. At 16 he was back in McCone County working at the large CBC Ranch.
Leo married Daisy Rittel in 1938 and began farming and raising both ranch and race horses and beef cattle in the Prairie Elk area.
Rodeoing, horse racing and his family were his passions. Leo and Daisy raced horses throughout a lot of states in the US and Canada; they always did their share of winning.
In 2000, Leo was inducted into the Queen City Horse Racing Hall of Fame in Helena, MT. In 2007 he was awarded the Cumulative Breeder’s Award for 50 years with the America Quarter Horse Association. Leo knew a lot of old cowboy songs and he enjoyed singing them and playing the harmonica.
He was preceded in death by his wife Daisy, his daughter Joyce, a great grandson, Jay D. Adkins and 11 siblings.
He is survived by his children, Lorrane Dressler of Kansas, Kathern (Dick) Adkins of Australia, Rex (Onie) Taylor of Circle and Rockie (Pam) Taylor of Sidney; one brother, Watson Taylor of Missoula, MT; his 12 grandchildren: Ted (Chris) Wall, Casey (Debbie) Dressler, Shad (Sandy) Adkins, Shawn (Kelly) Adkins, Candy Adkins, Justin (Joan) Taylor, Ty (Keri) Taylor, Troy Taylor, Cody (Marteen) Taylor, Cade (Rhonda) Taylor, Audie Taylor and Shanti Taylor. He is also survived by 32 great-grandchildren: Tess, Erin and Lane Wall, Cassie, Sara and Zach Dressler, Todd, Matt, Dylan, Martin, Brent and Ryan Adkins, Chrystal and Jake McCaul, Tucker, Talon, Justine, Judith, Trey, Tugg, Turk, Truitt, Hudson, Jade, Cylar, Cabry, Haven, Jaron, Anson and Teigen Taylor and Seth and Grady Bloesser.
A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, February 26, 2010 at First Lutheran Church in Circle immediately followed by a luncheon at the church. Inurnment will be at 2:00 p.m. in Wolf Point, MT at Greenwood Cemetery.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.stevensonandsons.com. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel of Wolf Point has been entrusted with the arrangements.