Stephen Pike Taylor passed away January 17, 2024 after suffering a heart attack while at work. He was 54 years old.
Stephen was born January 12, 1970 to David and Francine Taylor in Ridgecrest, California. He is the 2nd of 8 children. He lived in California until he was 8 years old, when the family moved to Sandy, Utah. Growing up, Stephen always had tons of friends and loved being involved in soccer, baseball but especially basketball, where he excelled, and one very important run where he won the Southern California race for his age group.
Stephen graduated from Brighton High School in 1988. In February of 1989, he served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Hawaii Honolulu Mission, which he always said was the most “Celestial” mission in the world. His love for the Polynesian people and the food would be a main-stay for the rest of his life.
After returning from Hawaii, he attended Salt Lake Community College and worked. It was at work that he met the love of his life, Betsy. They met on April 20, 1992 and were married in the Jordan River Temple on August 11, 1992. Steve and Betsy didn’t waste any time growing their family and one year later had their first child, Sage, and then Sarah came along 22 months after that.
In 1996, while watching the Super Bowl, Stephen discovered a lump in his neck and called the doctor the next day to get it checked out. After testing, he was diagnosed with Hodgkins Disease and started radiation treatment. Even though they were told they wouldn’t be able have any more children due to the cancer treatments, they were blessed with their “bonus children” Lukas and Isaac. When people would tell him how great his kids were, he just reply “they came that way, and we didn’t screw them up too much”. His love for his family was evident in everything he did.
Stephen loved being a husband and dad. His family was everything to him and he spent an incredible amount of time with them. They are his closest friends. They love to be together and just talk. The variety of their subjects ranged from Angel’s Baseball, NFL Red Zone, “What they called him in ‘Nam’” and* getting more names for the Band Names List (there are currently over 500 at last count). Laughter was always a part of the dining experience at the Taylor household, usually the best part of the meal.
To say that Stephen loved his grandbabies, Russy Boy, Mil Mil, and Pete, would be an understatement. He loved being their “COACH” and they loved him. When they were babies he always wanted to hold one of them and he said he was Coach so he got first dibs. As they grew older he loved seeing them and hearing all the stuff they had to tell him. He was the first person they would run to every time they came to the house. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for them, and they knew it. Except change a stinky diaper. That wouldn’t happen even for his beloved Mil Mil.
Stephen worked in food service for most of his professional life, first as the General Manager at Hires Big H, where he met some of his very best friends. After leaving Hires he oversaw the food service at LDS Business College and Ensign College. His favorite part of that job was working with the students and getting to be in their lives. More than once, a student would come back just to talk to Steve and get his advice or a blessing. He always had time to listen and made everyone feel important. When the food service was dissolved at the College, a new position was created just for him. He was the first Director of Logistical Support.
“What that means to me is I just show up every morning and see what needs to be done and I have fun doing it. I love my job and I love being at Ensign College.”
He often said how lucky and blessed he was to be able to work where he did and with the great people that were there.
Stephen is survived by his wife, Betsy (the only without a nickname), his children: Sage (Abe Bagoda/Bushy) & Katie, Sarah (Jordan Hoopy Lumpy), Lukas (Leroy/Lu) & Mitzi (Mittens), and Isaac (Aikah Bones/Tubesy). His grandchildren: Russell (Russy Boy), Amelia (Mil Mil/Milburn/Punkin), and Peter (Pete/Peteyweety.) His parents Dave & Franny. His siblings Michael (MikeDave), Ryan “Aldean”, Spencer (SpenceEd), Brent (BrentFred), Paul (PaulBob), Rebecca (Rebarbara), and Kristen (Kritter). His mother-in-law Beverly and all of his brothers and sisters-in-law. And even though he only had one aunt and zero cousins, he was an uncle to almost 50 nieces and nephews to make up for it.
He is preceded on his journey by his beloved grandparents Fred & Venna Pike and Bob & Vera Taylor, his aunt Carol and his father-in-law David.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00am on Tuesday, January 23rd, 2024 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Crescent 6th Ward, 11626 South 300 East in Draper. Viewings will be on Monday evening, January 22nd from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, and Tuesday morning January 23rd, from 9:30am to 10:30am prior to the services. All events will be held at the church.
If you would like to watch the recorded services, please click on the blue "Watch Services" button above.
He was so kind to me when I went to his office worry about charges in my account. That's all I remember; he was kind and offered me grace when I needed it. I am sure he will be missed. I hope as a family you could feel the Savior's love in this hard time.
Working with him was an honor, and his leadership will be remembered fondly. He was always there with an smile. Thanks for everything Steve
May the Savior wrap his all loving arms around you at this unbelievably heartbreaking time. May you & your family (*& Dave & Francine find comfort in the many wonderful memories & the legacy Steve left as such a good, kind, talented, fun & caring man, son, husband, father & grandfather.
Many prayers 🙏 & lots of hugs .
We will surely miss him, he was a person with kind, caring and loving heart. He was always willing to serve people. I'm grateful to know him and had some great memories with him as working in the BC cafe at ensign college and as he came to visit my family in Hawaii. We love you🙏🤗❤️. May his soul rest in peace and prayers of comfort and peace to his family 🙏
I remember well moving into the area the Taylor family were some of the first people I met. It was almost impossible not to just love the whole family right away. Especially Steve. He had a calm happiness about him that was so easy to be around. It didn’t take much to get him to crack a smile and his boys loved him and looked up to him so much. I miss you guys. Thankful for all the memories.
Steve Taylor is the older brother of one of my best childhood friends, Ryan. He was ever-present during my pre-teen and teen years. I looked up to Steve like the older brother I never had, and I tried to be as much like him as I could. He was one of the most important influences on my young life.
It was Steve who gave me my nickname “Bob” because I looked like the blonde-haired, 3-point shooting BYU basketball player Bobby Capener. Everyone called me Bob through middle school and high school and even into college. My brother calls me Bob to this day. My wife Allyson first knew me as Bob before she got to know me better.
Steve was a great example to me of a disciple of Jesus Christ. He treated everyone with kindness and respect, especially those who didn’t necessarily “fit in.” Steve’s letters to me from the mission field in Hawaii inspired me to want to serve a mission.
My distinguished career at McDonald’s as a teenager was also influenced by Steve, who was a manager there when I became eligible to work. In yet another effort to be like Steve, I too became a McDonald’s manager before my mission.
Perhaps my favorite memory of Steve was our 1991 road trip to Anaheim for the Pigskin Classic between BYU and Florida State. Steve and his buddy Grant Lundberg drove me, Ryan, Jeff Bennion, and Zach Shaw in one of the many Taylor family vans. There are not enough words to describe the fun and laughs we had on that trip.
Goodbye my friend until we meet again. I am forever grateful for your friendship and example during the most formative years of my life.
Brother Taylor was always very supportive and aware of us students. He helped me several times with a warm smile and joyful attitude. I will miss seeing him in the outpost or walking around joking with us. Even we won't see them, I know he'll be with us. Rest in peace.
Steve was a pleasure to be around and will be greatly missed. He genuinely cared for everyone and was an example to us all. Condelences to the family.
Steve was one of the most positive, uplifting people I knew. So friendly, warm and welcoming. I got to build a burger with him in the Summit Grill once, and it remains one of my favourite memories as a student at LDSBC. I hope his family knows how loved he was, and that he left a wonderful legacy.
We loved our association with Steve at Ensign College. He was always happy and helpful. He was a light to all. We are so sorry for your loss and pray the Spirit will lift you at this difficult time.
Betsy and family please accept my deepest condolences. I have fond memories hanging out with Steve at the Anderson house when I was in high school. We had some great basketball games out on the driveway. He was so much fun and always positive and happy. Best wishes to all of the Anderson and Taylor families.
Steve was a dear friend, colleague, and brother. He will be greatly missed. I will never forget his Christlike example, all of the delicious meals he catered at the college, how he treated his employees and customers, his Ensign College Devotionals this past summer and the summer of 2016, and the extraordinary customer service he provided daily. He was most deserving of the "Service Award" he received in the Fall of 2018. God be with you 'til we meet again, dear brother.
Thanks Steve being my favorite boss!
This is really sad news I came over from the Uk as an international student to study at the college and worked with Steve over 7 years ago I remember he was a really friendly and happy person. Condolences to his family
What a blessing for us to know the Taylor’s. We are so very sorry to hear of Steve’s passing. What a wonderful man. I remember some wonderful interactions in our stake as well as at Ensign College. We send our love and prayers; also, our shared faith in the Savior and in Eternal Families.
Betsy and family so sorry for your loss your in my thoughts and prayers
Steve always smiled everywhere he went! He was kind to everyone, employee, students, and visitors. He made everyone feel special and his life motto seemed to be “always happy to help!” He was talented in various areas which made him an exceptional employee. He had such a positive impact on so many. Ensign College will not be the same without our friend, Steve. He will be profoundly missed! Deepest condolences for his precious family he cherished so much.
I just wanted to send my condolences for Steve. I just found out about his passing and wanted to say how I was impacted by Steve when I worked at the Carriage Cafe from 2009-2011 as a student. Steve was always so kind, and when I paid him a visit in 2016 he told me how fond he was of me. So sorry to hear of his passing and wanted you to know of his impact on students across the years.
Steve hired me as a food worker and preparer at The Carriage Cafe. It was an early morning job at LDS Business College. He was very sincere and took interest in my life. I was new at it and he would lovingly tell me where to improve with much care and support. I felt like even though I made mistakes he would keep on having patience with me on those early mornings. I am grateful he took a chance on me so I could finish my education at the school. He had a love for people and was not afraid to have humor in the cafe to lighten things up. I send my thanks and love to his family.
Deepest condolences to your family! Prayers for comfort! I will miss you my friend RIL and God Bless
Chef Prez🤟🏽🤟🏽🤟🏽
Steve was my first real boss at my first real job. He was always kind and helpful. Steve left an impression so big in my heart, he will always be my boss.
He was a happy person and he was very loved by all who surrounded him. I have no doubt this will be the case now that he’s been called back in the service of the Lord.
As missionaries serving at the college Steve was ever helpful to keep our meal account straight. He would always give you his full attention and faithfully remedy this issue. We will always remember his outgoing personality and warm helpful smile. Brian and Connie Gough
This morning, I was just scrolling through my Instagram when I saw the picture of Steve Taylor on the Ensign page I thought for a second, he got a promotion. But I read the post my heart stop and I felt in shock. The spirit said to me to keep reading and I decided to get to this page to write this condolences to you, when I saw “Stephen’s last talk”, is was 5 am when I started playing and I feel so overwhelmed with gratitude for his inspiring words, how much preparation he actually had to share this power message. I feel Our Savior’s love through his words. Brother Taylor will dearly missed in this mortal world, and indeed he did got a promotion to a higher and greater life. His life marked my life. We are all walking together in this covenant path.
I didn't know Steve well in person, but like legends, his fame preceded seeing him in person. I learned that Steve had made the decision not to leave his country. My first impression was that he is a man who loves his country, a patriot. I respected his decision, and it spoke of determination. I thought, Steve is a good man, and throughout his life, he kept his word. Until just under two years ago when his son Lukas got married in Chile. Everyone knew the good Steve, and as far as I know, even Lukas took for granted that his father would not travel to the southernmost part of the continent because he had not left his country. However, Steve, without anyone convincing or pressuring him, of his own free will, decided to attend his son's wedding. He left his beloved country, which he had not abandoned since he came into this world, to be with his son on his wedding day. Knowing and imagining how simple that decision was for Steve because his son was important, because Steve loves his family — knowing that, without even meeting him in person, made me change my first impression. Steve is not just a good man; Steve is a great man. Without knowing him, he earned all my respect and appreciation — a good man with determination, a man who loves his family.
Later, I had the pleasure of meeting him in person with his family. He didn't speak much Spanish, and I didn't speak much English, but we managed to communicate a bit. He was a man who conveyed tranquility, and I understand that we shared a liking for improvisational cooking with whatever was in the kitchen — a very pleasant man.
In summary, and concluding my reflection about Steve, despite not knowing him well, the scriptures say, "By their fruits, you will know them; every good tree bears good fruit," and Steve was a good tree. Knowing his fruits — his family, Betsy, his wife, his children, Lukas, Sarah, and Isaac, whom I met in person — I can affirm with complete certainty that Steve Taylor was a great man. He has left us, but his legacy is what he leaves us all. His beautiful family is his greatest work, and I could feel how much he loved them all. He leaves us a great family that will continue to grow and will always have a part of him in each of them.
Grammatically, in Spanish, adding an article to a name or referring to someone is considered incorrect. However, especially among Latinos and regularly in Chile, it is used to emphasize the person being talked about. I would like to do this for those who knew him: Steve was not just a great man; he was THE great man.
I worked across the street from Steve and would visit him several times a day to get my diet coke fix. I loved chatting with him. We would talk about the cafe and the different ideas he had to continue to draw students in. He always had a smile and a laugh to share.
When the cafe closed, and he started working in Ensign College I would knock on the windows and wave to him when passing by his office.
I am so sorry for your loss. He was a great man! Prayers and thoughts with your family during this time and always.
I have served as a missionary in Salt Lake City Headquarters and have been assigned to serve at Ensign College for the past 20 months.
Steve has always, always been so kind and helpful. He was always pleasant, kind and accommodating in every way he could to help students, missionaries and faculty. He was liked by all. I know he was so proud of his family and loved you all very much.
My husband and I are sincerely sorry that he has passed. We send our since condolences and our prayers for comfort and healing for Sister Taylor and his children and grandchildren as they go through this trying and tender time.
Sister Sally and Elder Richard Nicholls
Steve Taylor is a man among men. I knew and worked closely with him for 15 years and cannot recall ever hearing him complain. He would just put his head down and go to work. While managing the daily grind of food services at Ensign College (formerly LDSBC) to the complexities of logistics, Steve approached every task and interaction with others with enthusiasm and reliability.
Steve had a gift for working with students. Given one of my previous roles at the college, it wasn't out of the ordinary for Steve to contact me every so often about a concern he was seeing with a student worker. After talking through the situation and hearing what Steve had already done to help one of those people, it became clear that Steve was doing a lot more than just making food but making people. Truly, everything he did seemed to be focused on the students at the college, and his final act moments before his heart affected him was enthusiastically greet a student employee from some distance as he was on his way to another place. This was classic Steve -- always wanting to ensure the people around him were seen and cared for.
Lastly, it was clear that Steve's life and priorities were circled around his family. The photos in his office and the experiences he shared made it clear that Betsy and his children were his entire world. He was so proud of his children and adored his grandchildren. He always spoke of Betsy like she was his best friend -- he would say that it was fun going places with her as she would do the socializing and make people laugh while all he had to do was stand there and smile. This world is, has been, and will forever be a better place because Stephen Taylor has been part of it.
Steve Taylor is one of the finest individuals I’ve ever known in my life. We often hear statements like that when referring to someone who has passed. And, in this situation, I can honestly say that Steve Taylor is one of the finest individuals I’ve ever known in my life. I was blessed to work with Steve at Ensign College. During that time, I was able to get to know Steve and his true character. I don’t know that I have ever met anyone with less guile or malice. I never heard Steve say a bad word about anyone. His influence and example for me was beyond measure. Steve sent me a text on morning of the day that he passed, letting me know that he had never been better. I am so grateful for the association we had. He will forever be one of my heroes. He is truly one of the noble and great ones.
Steve was such an angel in my life. I know Heavenly Father put him in my path to help me start my new life here in the US. In 2014 after a few weeks of moving here from Spain I applied for a job at the Bc Cafe. My English was bad and I don’t even know how he trusted me with the position. But he sure did with a big smile on his face. When training me for the job he would write the names of the foods I needed to prep on sticky notes so I knew the names of things and where to get them (my vocabulary wasn’t great 🥲). Later, he trained me to be a cashier and would tell me how proud he was of how far I had come. He saw my potential and trusted in me… I will forever be grateful for the father figure he was during my first years here and how much he helped me to become the person I am today. I will miss you Steve 🤍
We met Steve shortly after we began our mission at Ensign College in August 2021. We were working on arrangements for the barbecue and baseball game to welcome back faculty and staff and their families to fall semester. Since we had just arrived, we really didn’t know anyone. Steve was so helpful and patient with all our questions and calls. He made us feel welcome and gave our confidence a big boost. Then when the Grill opened we could see him working with the students, hustling around, helping them learn what to do in the kitchen. As busy as he was, he would come out with a smile on his face and help us when our cards wouldn’t work in the kiosk, usually because we were doing something wrong! Whenever we saw him on campus he was busy and happy and contributed so much to the spirit of Ensign College. A few days ago we listened to his devotional address from June 2023 and can see that we didn’t know him as well as we would have liked to. His testimony of the gospel and love for the Lord are clear in his inspired words. Our thoughts and love go out to his family who, l’m sure, will miss him very much as will Ensign College. We are grateful we were able to know him.
Oh how John and I loved the Taylor family. So, so many fun memories and great laughs. I was so sorry to hear about Stephen's passing. My prayers for the entire family that you may feel him and God's loving arms on the days you'll miss him the most. Families are central to God's plan.
Betsy. I’ve been out of town for three weeks and had missed. The announcement about your husbands death. I am so sorry for your loss. Love you
To the wonderful Taylor family,
Tom and I would like to express our love and hope for comfort after Stephen's passing. What an awful shock. He was always so kind and considerate to everyone. May your pain be crowded out by the Lord's comforting presence as you continue on in this mortal life. What a wonderful example to all who know him.
Tom and Kathy Capece
Me and my family appreciated getting to work with Steve while at LDSBC, he did a great job with the food services!
We are sorry to hear about his untimely passing,, condolences to his family and friends!
Aloha, until we meet again❣️