Michael Leon Taylor

Michael (Mike) Leon Taylor was born March 21, 1944 in Boise, Idaho to Charlotte Ane Steele and Eliza Chavez (Lee) Carreaga.  After a brief marriage, Charlotte and Lee separated ways.  

Charlotte married Donald Wylie Taylor of Nampa, Idaho and was the only father Mike ever knew.  A younger sister, Maurine, and a younger brother, Bruce completed the family.

Mike’s early childhood was spent in Fresno, California.  At the age of eight, the family moved back to Nampa, Idaho.

A lifelong love of Idaho’s outdoors began at an early age.   He loved camping, fishing, hunting, hiking and backpacking in Idaho’s mountains.

He graduated from Nampa High School in 1962.  Many universities recruited Mike for both academics and football. He accepted an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy, and graduated in 1966.  He graduated USAF Pilot Training in Laredo, Texas in 1967.

 While home on Christmas holiday leave, he met the love of his life, Christel Schuster.  They were married in the Salt Lake City, UT Temple on September 18, 1967. 

His first assignment was at Castle AFB in California where he learned to fly KC-135s.  Mike served in SE Asia piloting KC-135s while stationed at Grand Forks AFB in North Dakota.  Following that tour, the family moved to Cannon AFB, New Mexico, where Mike qualified as a fighter pilot in the AT-33 aircraft. 

He was assigned to join the elite Forward Air Controller squadron and piloted his beloved OV-10 Bronco.  He returned to the Viet Nam War, stationed in Thailand, while flying missions over Laos and Cambodia as a Forward Air controller (FAC) directing fighter aircraft.  He was shot down over the Ho Chi Minh Trail and officially declared Missing in Action (MIA).  (SAR) Search and Rescue found and recovered him safe and mostly sound, and returned home to Nampa Idaho, where he was greeted by Christel and his two young boys and the Taylor Family.

In 1973, Mike and Christel’s small family left military service and worked in the electronics industry in the San Francisco Bay Area.   They moved to Northern Idaho in 1975, working at the Bunker Hill Mine, followed by a move to Rigby Idaho and a career at Idaho National Laboratory spanning 1977 to 2006. 

After retiring, Mike and Christel moved to St. George.  They loved living there.  However, in 2019, Mike had a strong desire to “go home”.  That meant, back to Idaho.  Twin Falls accepted them with loving arms.

Mike was a loving husband, an excellent and caring father and grandfather to his four sons and grandchildren.He was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all his life and served in many positions in the church.

Mike is survived by his wife Christel, four sons, Derek (Ivy), Scott, Tyson (Jennifer) and Perry (Shae) and fourteen grandchildren, and one great-grand daughter.  His Sister Maurine (Reinhard Schuster) and Brother and Sister in-law Norbert and Andee Schuster

Preceding him in death are his parents, Charlotte Ane Steele and Donald Wylie Taylor, his younger brother Bruce Steele Taylor and  grandson, Mitchell David Taylor.

Funeral Services will be at the Shoshone Falls Ward with Bishop Blake Pederson conducting.  Burial Service will be at the Star Cemetery near Nampa with arrangements made by Rosenau Funeral Services. 

A visitation for family and friends will be held on Friday June 2, 2023 at 9am at the Shoshone Falls Ward with Bishop Blake Pederson conducting and funeral services to follow at 10am.  Burial Service will be at the Star Cemetery near Nampa with arrangements made by Rosenau Funeral Services. 

The family kindly asks that no perfume be worn as per an allergy to any and all perfumes.  Thank you for your consideration and cooperation.