Clay Center resident John Crittenden Taylor, 76, died Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024, at Mary Lanning Healthcare in Hastings.

Funeral services were at 2 p.m., Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, at the United Church of Christ in Clay Cente, with Pastors Stuart Davis and Bev Hays officiating. Interment followed at the Clay Center Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the American Heart Association or the American Cancer Society.

Condolences may be left at www.mclaughlinchapel.com. John was born May 20, 1948, to Crit J. Taylor and Jane M. (Herndon) Taylor.

Crit was short for Crittenden, which was the last name of a Missouri Governor admired by John’s great-great-grandfather Stephenson.

The family lived on a rented farm northeast of Clay Center along with parents and brother, William “Bill” Joseph Taylor.

John attended kindergarten at the school in Verona. If no one was there to pick him up, he was to start walking home. John’s longest walk was two of the three miles. That school closed at the end of the year and John then went into the Clay Center School District.

Clay Center had school buses, no more walking. When he was in the third grade, the family moved to John’s grandparent’s farm southeast of Clay Center.

John graduated in 1966 and then attended the University of Nebraska, graduating in 1971. He taught math and science classes at Spencer Public Schools.

In 1975 he rented the Delmar Busboom farm, which he purchased the next year. Along with rental farms, he raised cattle and hogs. John taught an additional year at Clay Center Public Schools and worked part-time or full-time at what is now the Farm Service Agency doing measurements of fields and grain bins. He also worked on enrollment in farm programs and worked with friends moving irrigation pipe. Since he retired, he has had the pleasure of watching Dusty Mihm do the farming.

The Lord has blessed John with great opportunities, family, and friends.

To be a farmer, you must have faith. John dearly loved kids, although he never married and thus, had no children of his own. He tutored numerous kids with math and science in the Clay Center Community.

Following his retirement, John became active with and enjoyed assisting with the Clay County Fair, Old Trusty Days, the Museum, and the Clay County Historical Society.

John is survived by his brother, William “Bill” J. Taylor and his wife, Carol (Jackson Halze) of Frisco, TX; nephew, Monte Alan Taylor and his wife, Robin (Jones) Taylor of Corpus Christi, TX; grand-nephew, Ryan Taylor and his wife, Kimber-Lee (Perez) Taylor and their three sons; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends living all across the USA.

He was preceded in death by his parents.