Obituary of Paul Hedley Edward Taylor

September 4, 1954 - Lusaka, Zambia

May 20, 2022 - Calgary, Alberta

I passed away at the age of 67 with my wife, the love of my life and best friend, Linda at my side.

Although 67 was too soon to leave, I relished all the time spent with family and friends. A lot was accomplished, much was debated, and in the end everyone in my life made my journey rich, fulfilling and interesting.

My initial start in life was in Southern Africa where my father was a doctor in the British Medical Service and my mother a new bride learning her way. Africa was an exciting place to grow up and it was where I developed my love of fishing and the outdoors. In 1964 my parents moved to Canada and one of my proudest moments was eventually becoming a Canadian Citizen.

Our first night in Canada was spent in a Montreal hotel room and I watched Lyndon B. Johnson win re-election in the USA. My lifelong passion for politics grew from that evening. Our family settled in Saskatchewan, and I eventually made my way to Calgary where some of my proudest career achievements included heading up the Volunteer program for the Calgary Olympics and playing key roles in the Klein revolution.

It was in Calgary that I met Linda and she walked by my side for the rest of my journey. The adventures continued in British Columbia taking on a number of government roles including Deputy Minister Finance and CEO of ICBC. A new opportunity as President, TransAlta, USA took us to Washington State. We had a great 3 years in that role working with the TransAlta team many of whom became friends. Then an opportunity came my way for us to move back to Alberta and a role as CEO, Western Financial Group. After that role and spending some time back in British Columbia, we retired and moved back to Alberta. Finally, a chance to spend time with family and friends – fishing, golfing & enjoying our desert home.

About 3 years ago, a Stage 4 Cancer diagnosis arrived with a vengeance and I believe we approached the diagnosis like we did everything else that came our way – head on!

It has been an honor to have passed through the lives of so many. A special thank you to all the family, friends and healthcare providers who supported me through this battle.

A final message to my nieces and nephews – ONWARD & UPWARD.

At Paul’s request, there will be no Memorial Service. If you so choose, a donation to AARCS, 5060 74 Ave SW, Calgary, AB, https://aarcs.ca/, or to the Alberta Cancer Foundation https://www.albertacancer.ca/, would be appreciated.

Thank you, Paul, for a great run. Your favorite quote “Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain” by Vivian Greene, will stay with us all.

Condolences, memories, and photos may also be shared and viewed here.

In living memory of Paul Taylor, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.