Mr. Kent Taylor

This past week, Vantage lost one of our own.  Mr. Kent Taylor, who taught Electricity with us for a very long time, passed away.  Even though Mr. Taylor retired a few years ago, he liked to come back and be a substitute with us whenever he could.  So, while none of our students had the awesome experience of having Mr. Taylor as their full-time instructor, many of our current Seniors got to know him as a sub in several of their classes last year.  While they didn't have Mr. Taylor every day, he made a profound influence on several of them.  We know this because when it came time to pay our final respects as Mr. Taylor's funeral procession passed by Vantage, many of them asked if they could go outside as well.
As we walked out of the building, I overheard several students talking about some fact or tidbit that Mr. Taylor had taught them about when he was a sub in one of their classes last year.  As I overheard these conversations, I just kept thinking about all of the articles, stories, and lesson ideas Kent shared with me in my six years as a Military History and Government teacher here.  I know it was my job to be an expert in those areas, but I'll be the first to admit that Mr. Taylor would have been just as qualified to teach my classes as I was.  There are probably five or six other teachers in the building who feel the same way.  Kent knew so much about so many things, and he was always willing to share.  Not only was he willing to share what he knew, but he did so with a smile on his face in a way that you always felt like he was teaching you something new.  I don't even think he was trying, but that's just how he was: a natural teacher.
It's always tough to lose someone that you know and care about, and Mr. Taylor is no exception.  The first time I recall losing someone close to me was in seventh grade when my Grandpa Jim Wurth passed away.  I'll never forget the family sitting around grandpa's kitchen table laughing, crying, and everything in between as they told stories about his life.  That night, I remember my uncle telling me how great stories keep us alive forever.
With that in mind, I'll conclude with my favorite Kent Taylor story.  One of the first times Kent tried to share a military history article with me, it was an article on a CD about his distant cousin (according to Kent) President Zachary Taylor.  Kent knew I could use it in military history to help explain the historic relevance of the Mexican-American War.  However, when I put the CD into my computer the first time, nothing happened (other than that loud "whirr" sound that you hear when your computer tries to recognize a new CD).  I asked Kent (who was standing beside me) what he thought the issue might be.  Without missing a beat he said "that's actually a virus...good luck explaining that to I-T!".  Then, of course, he went back to his desk and got his original copy of the CD with the article on it.  The second one worked, and Kent and I sat and talked about Zach Taylor's Presidency and role in the Mexican-American War.  I had gained a new lesson for years to come, and a story to share forever.  Thanks Kent!

Rest in Peace, Mr. Taylor.  Vantage, and our world, will miss you.