Ronald Taylor Obituary

Ronald “Ron” Norman Taylor passed away peacefully on October 1, 2025, following a fall in his home the week before. Born July 6, 1940, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Geraldine and Vernon Taylor, Ron lived his 85 years with compassion, humor, and steadfast devotion to his family and friends.

Ron’s early years took him to the West Coast before settling in Claremore, Oklahoma, where he spent his youth. His younger brother, David, born in 1943, became both a lifelong friend and partner in their shared—and by some accounts, borderline unhealthy—love for Sooner football. David’s unexpected passing in 1998 left a lasting emptiness in Ron’s heart.

Ron began his studies at the University of Oklahoma in 1958 and graduated in 1963. While there, he met and later married Susan Dale Weems in December 1961. The young couple lived in married student housing as Ron completed his zoology degree and Susan completed her degree in fine arts. Their first son, Matthew, was born in 1966.

Ron continued his education at Washington University in St. Louis, where he earned his DDS. After graduation, he entered the U.S. Navy in 1968, serving his final tour aboard the USS Shenandoah in 1971. During his Navy years, Ron and Susan welcomed their second son, Seth, in 1969.

In 1971, Ron moved his family to Denver—a state he had never visited but chose for its promise of sunshine. He joined a small dental practice at Florida and Holly and began what would become a 47-year career in private practice. He often joked that the Navy had trained him well for the art of dentistry, but not the business of it, especially during the oil related recessions of the early 1970s.

In 1981, Ron relocated his practice to a new office he built on Parker Road, where he served generations of patients until his retirement in 2019.

Outside of work, Ron fully embraced Colorado life. He loved backpacking, skiing, and flyfishing—particularly along the Roaring Fork near Carbondale, a favorite spot he returned to even in later years. In retirement, tending the yard or sharing the patio with friends and family brought him the same peace he found in the mountains.

Ron is survived by his wife, Susan; his two sons, Matt (wife Jan) and Seth (wife Cynde); and four beloved grandchildren: Jessica (30), Adam (28, wife Irie), Isla (16) and Olivia (15).

A burial for the family will take place at Fort Logan National Cemetery. A remembrance service will be held on November 6, 2025, at 1 p.m. at Horan & McConaty, 5303 E. County Line Road.