Robert Malone Taggart

Robert Malone Taggart was born March 22, 1910, in Glen Jean, West Virginia, to Phillip and Annie Taggart. That was the year that Halley's Comet made a grand showing. After graduating high school in Mt. Hope, West Virginia he headed off to Huntington to attend Marshall College to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. Back then it cost $38 a year! Making 'Moonshine' helped with that tuition.

Nearing the end of his education, the Depression in full swing, and engineering jobs quite scarce, he and a friend decided to hitchhike to California. They learned to hop freight trains which eventually landed them in Redlands, California. He worked in Martha's Grill where he learned to make the best pancakes in the world.

He played trombone in a dance band and later a circus band. He also worked as a theatre checker.

In 1938 he married Margaret Burdette from Oak Hill, West Virginia and together they raised three children.

Bob enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1941 and completed an exemplary military career retiring as a Lt. Colonel in the spring of 1962.

He was with the 45th division fighting in WWII, and the 7th division in Korea. He was awarded the Silver Star and Bronze Star, but his most prized honor was his combat infantry badge. After returning from the Korean War he was stationed in Monterey, California, where he attended Language School and learned to speak Czechoslovakian. He was then transferred to Germany with family in tow and enough free time to see Europe during peacetime. Bob and his family traveled every chance they had seeing many sights including the Brussels World Expo.

Returning to the United States he was stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey.

Upon his retirement from the Army he began working for the Curtis Publishing Company which brought the family to the Northwest settling in Woodland, Washington. Upon retiring from Curtis in 1977, he and Marg began to travel with their Airstream trailer around the U.S. and Mexico.

In 1988, they moved permanently to Sisters. Soon he was a member of the Sisters Coffee Company "Hooligans of the Big Table" in the corner, gathering for stories several times each week.

Bob was preceded in death by his wife Margaret, infant daughter Laurel, son Phillip 'Flip', and grandson Edward Boswell. Still celebrating his life and missing him very much are his sister Sarah Taggart of Charleston, West Virginia; daughter Gail Boswell and husband Bill of Meridian, Idaho; daughter Kara Mickaelson of Sisters; daughter-in-law Renee Taggart of Brush Prairie, Washington; granddaughters Margaret Boswell, Katie Reid and husband Bill, also of Meridian, plus seven great grandchildren, many beloved friends and relatives.

A celebration will be held Saturday, December 13, at 2 p.m. at Sisters Community Church, 1300 W. McKenzie Hwy., Sisters.