Tribute; Merlin Taylor

Merlin Traylor was born on December 24, 1930 in Wessington Springs, South Dakota to Thomas and Kathryn Traylor. After Kathryn's death in 1935 his father moved the family first to Tacoma and then to Spokane. Merlin completed high school and then went on to Gonzaga University and Washington State University earning his degree in Zoology at the age of 19. During this time he met his soul mate and the love of his life, Beverly. They were married in 1950.

Merlin moved from being a lab technician to a hospital administrator. His passion was small rural hospitals including Memorial Community Hospital (Odessa), Samaritan Hospital (Moses Lake), Columbia Basin Hospital (Ephrata), and Klickitat Valley Hospital (Goldendale). During his long career he was recognized several times by the medical community including receiving the Hopkins Award from the Washington State Hospital Association.

Merlin and Beverly spent their retirement years on their 12-acre property in Goldendale. He enjoyed being the barbeque king for the family, building decks on the house, spending time with his Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Lady and Red, and listening to the wind blow through the pines.

In 2012, Merlin and Beverly moved to Boise where their daughter, Janet, was living. He was happy to discover that he could still hear the wind in the trees when he sat out on the patio. On Friday, June 27, 2014 Merlin left this world and joined his mother, father, Lady, and Red. He will always be loved and missed by his wife of 63 years, Beverly, his daughters, Janet Satterwhite (Larry), LeAnn, and Mollie, and his sister Shirley Mildes (Allan) as well as five grandchildren.