Today I attended the funeral of Mike Taylor, an ex-colleague of mine in the library service. Mike died suddenly on the 17th February, aged 75.
Many were the productive hours we spent together researching and writing local history for library publications. Mike’s sense of humour helped to make this work a pleasure rather than the rather tedious detailed stuff it might otherwise have been.
Brought up in Keith, in Moray, Mike trained in librarianship and made his home in Dumbarton, becoming eventually Chief Librarian for the West Dunbartonshire service.
He was what we in Scotland call, often with affection, a kenspeckle figure in the town, an active member and office bearer for periods in both the Dumbarton Burns Club and the Dumbarton Bowling Green.
Other interests of his were foreign travel, travels around Scotland, and in sport, Glasgow Rangers football club of which he became a fan, I think I am right in saying, because of his college days with his friend Andy Ewen.
Mike will be greatly missed by many. I feel very sad today.
Since he was a great family man, his wife Sheila, his daughter Carol and his two grandchildren will be experiencing such a huge sense of loss.
I send them my deepest condolences. They can be proud. He was one of the good guys.
Picture above: Mike Taylor left with Democrat editor Bill Heaney and the late Dr Iain MacPhail.
Mike Taylor, Dumbarton librarian who has died, aged 75.
R.I.P. Mike. A lovely helpful guy dedicated to public service.