Dickie Dean Taylor

1945 - 2017

Dickie "Tugboat" Taylor, born December 9, 1945, in Maquoketa, Iowa, moved to Clinton, Iowa, as a child and grew up there. He is preceded in death by his daughter, Kelli Taylor Rodriguez, his parents, Bert and Thelma (Tebben) Taylor, his sisters, YaVonne Anderson & Lillian Rosenboom. He is survived by his wife Susan (Martin) Taylor, son Charles (Chaz) Taylor, and grandchildren, Alex Rodriguez, Dean and Cynthia Taylor, brother Bob Taylor, sisters Gloria Jorgensen and Pat Hamstra.

Dickie entered the Marine Corp in 1964 and is a proud Vietnam Veteran. He was honorably discharged in 1968. After returning to the United States, Dickie coached the Marine Corp and Navy Wrestling and Boxing Teams at Treasure lsland in San Francisco, Ca..

In 1968, he moved back to Clinton, IA, working as a Lab Technician at E.I. DuPont.

In 1972, after years of training and dedication to the sport, one of his dreams was realized when he was named a wrestling alternate in the 1972 Olympics.

In 1979, he moved to Houston, TX, to pursue his dream of wrestling professionally. After training with the Legend Johnny Valentine, "Tugboat" Taylor was born. He traveled the world wrestling.

In 1997, he opened and operated Tugboat's School for Professional Wrestling in Houston.

Family and friends are invited to greet the family on December 9, 2017, from 11 am to 2 pm, at a Celebration of Life to be held at the VFW Hall, 21902 Hempstead Highway, Cypress, Texas 77429 (on 290 feeder road). PLEASE HAVE ALL FLOWERS DELIVERED TO VFW HALL.

Mass will be at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, Monday, December 11, 2017, 6646 Addicks-Satsuma Road, Houston, Texas 77084. Lunch in FLC [Family Life Center] at 12:30 pm and Mass in church at 2 pm.