Twenty-two years from the time he started construction of the Alaska Highway with the US Army Engineers, "Bert" Taylor died suddenly at almost the same spot. Stricken by a heart attack while operating a grader at Mile 707 Mr. Taylor died shortly afterwards.
The native of Oklahoma came to the Yukon in 1942 for construction of the wartime highway and stayed for the rest of his life. He had moved on to Fairbanks and freighted overland for the Sunshine Mining Company in Alaska, driving his "cat" over trails which were later to become the Sixty Mile road to Dawson.
He operated a taxi business for some years at Dawson, where he and his wife, Shirley, were married in 1949. They moved to Mayo where Mr. Taylor worked on the construction of the dam for two and a half years, then to Pelly where they built the Lodge.
The family came to Whitehorse several years ago, and he was employed by Mclsaac Construction prior to his recent return to the highway with Department of Public Works,
Mr. Taylor had been away from his Whitehorse home for several weeks prior to his death, with a mobile road crew and had not been too well after falling against the wheel of some road equipment. A helper was with him at the time of his seizure.
Funeral services were conducted by the Rev. Elwood. M. Hill from the Whitehorse Baptist Church Sunday afternoon at two o'clock in order to allow fellow workers of the late Mr. Taylor to attend. Bearers were Walter Kimmel, Vince White, Vincent Young, Arnold Newman, Royal Knapp and Reuben Huber.
Mr. Taylor is survived by his wife, Shirley, one son, Darrel and a foster daughter, Donna.
