1920 – 2015

AUBURN — Douglas Byard Taylor, “Ol’ Doug,” of Fairfield, died at the age of 94, on Thursday, Feb. 5, at the Androscoggin Hospice House, with his family by his side.

He was born in Lincoln on May 26, 1920, a son of Brunswick M. and Maud E. (Porterfield) Taylor. He was educated in the public schools of Fairfield and at Northeastern University in Boston, Mass.

He worked as an engineer and superintendent in both buildings and heavy construction for many years, retiring in 1985. He married Alice Mae Collins of Moscow in 1939; she passed away in 2006.

He was a member of Fairfield Center Grange for 50-plus years. He was very proud to have been a very active Free Mason for nearly 60 years. He was well-known in the Masonic family and actively attended many functions from the U.S., Canada and Newfoundland.

He was a past master of Waterville Lodge No. 33, A.F. and A.M., and served the Grand Lodge of Maine as senior grand warden. As a Royal Arch Mason, he served as high priest of Teconnet Chapter No. 52 and was elected as the most excellent grand high priest of the Grand Chapter of Maine. As a royal and select master, he was a past illustrious master of Mt. Lebanon Council No. 13 and was elected most illustrious grand master of the Grand Council of Maine. As a Knight Templar, he was a past commander of St. Omer Commandry No. 12 and was elected to the office of right eminent grand commander of the Grand Commandry of Maine. As a Knight Companion of the Red Cross of Constantine, the oldest and most prestigious Christian order in Free Masonry, he was past sovereign of Tamerlane Conclave No. 4 in Bangor and served as the most illustrious grand sovereign of the Sovereign Grand Imperial Council of the Knights of the Red Cross of Constantine.

Among other Masonic honors, he was entitled honorary second grand principal of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the Province of New Brunswick, an honorary past first grand principal of that grand chapter, an honorary past grand high priest of the Royal Arch Masons of the Province of Newfoundland and a past grand first principal of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the Province of Quebec.

He presided over several other Masonic bodies in Maine and was awarded the Columbian Medal for his long service and outstanding leadership by the General Grand Council of Cryptic Rite Masons International at the triennial session of that body in Biloxi, Miss. He held honorary membership in the Supreme Council, A.A.S.R. He was also awarded the 33rd Degree in Scottish Rite Masonry.

When he was not attending Masonic functions, he enjoyed planting and working in his garden or tinkering, and spending time with his great- and great-great-grandchildren.

He will be sadly missed by his family and many friends, including William and Theresa Baldwin of Newfoundland.

Survivors include his son, Fred E. Taylor and wife, Eleanor, of Auburn; grandsons, Michael of New Gloucester, Robert and wife, Mary Ellen, of Auburn and Jeffrey and wife, Melissa, of Auburn; great-granddaughters, Jessica and husband, Randy Hutchinson, of Livermore and Jessica and husband, Paul Rubashkin, of West Gardiner; great-grandsons, Paul and Craig Michaud of Auburn; great-great-grandchildren, Randan and Jamison Hutchinson and Ellie and Michael Rubashkin; a brother, George H. Taylor, of Fairfield; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents; wife, Alice; siblings, Charlotte Noyes, Marion Bartram and John Parsons; and a great-grandson, Nicholas Taylor.