Taylor, Don J. “Ben” (Age 85) – Born June 22, 1924 in Hamilton, Montana. Died May 8, 2010 in Spokane, Washington. Ben attended Hamilton High School and the University of Montana. During summers he worked for the U.S. Forest Service at the fire lookout in the Bitterroot Valley. In 1943 he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. He served in World War II and received several distinguished military honors, including a Purple Heart. He was severely wounded in action in 1945 in Okinawa and honorably discharged in 1947. After the war he returned to the University of Montana, where he met and married Mary Schouweiler in 1949. Ben’s job with Consolidated Freightways took the couple to Kalispell, Montana, where they had two children, and later to Spokane in 1960, where they had another son. After his wife’s death in 1977, Ben married Ann Doherty Sweeney. Ben and Ann enjoyed time with their extended family and traveled extensively to see their children abroad in Greece, Scotland, Malaysia and Bangkok, and in the U.S. in California, Oregon, Washington and Colorado. Ben is survived by his wife of 31 years, Ann Taylor; his children: Jim Taylor and Ted Taylor of Spokane, and Sara Taylor of Novato, CA; Ann’s children: Kevin Sweeney of Eugene, OR, Mike Sweeney of Beijing, China, Dan Sweeney of Bangkok, Thailand, Steve Sweeney of Portland, OR, and Jim Sweeney of Vail, CO; along with eight grandchildren. His memorial service will be held at 2:00pm, Wednesday, May 12, 2010 at Ball & Dodd Funeral Home. The family appreciates contributions made in his memory being made to the charity of your choice. .
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