Shawn Taylor

Our beloved Husband, Father, Grandfather, Son, Brother, Uncle, and Friend, Shawn Taylor, passed away peacefully surrounded by close family on Tuesday, February 27, 2024. He was much too young, 48 years old, but he loved life and his family and friends to the fullest.

Shawn was born in Kansas City, MO and lived and worked in Kansas his entire life, which explains his unwavering love for the KC Chiefs. He graduated from Turner High School in 1994. He was an extremely hard worker and went on to be an over the road truck driver but then spent the rest of his adult years working for General Motors in Fairfax, KS where he made life long friends. He was known as a consummate practical jokester at GM where we're sure stories of him will live on.

His passions and hobbies were YouTubing, anything Garth Brooks related, calculating finances, dancing, riding his motorcycle, providing comedic relief in any setting, and playing with his grandkids.

Shawn believed that his legacy in life was the house that he, Janet, and his father, Glen, built from the ground up by themselves. He felt that completing that two-year project, against all odds and terrible weather conditions, was the biggest accomplishment of his life and the thing he was most proud of.
People closest to him say that Shawn was nothing if not Loyal. He loved and valued his "immediate circle" of family and friends more than anything.
He was an incredibly involved Father. He coached his children's sports team, helped fix their cars and was always there for his kids whether it was to give life advice or just lend support in general.

While he loved his children, his life was most fulfilled when his grandkids were born. He would say, as Garth Brooks said, if he could've been a grandparent first that would've been perfect. He loved taking Jasper for rides in his truck, on his motorcycle, and pulling him in the trailer behind the lawnmower pretending it was a train ride. He absolutely loved laughing and playing with his grandsons, the lights of his life.

Through all of it, Shawn was unapologetically in love with Janet, his wife. He thrived in his role as Janet's best friend, confidant, and lover. Shawn and Janet's marriage was built on their close-kept friendship, enduring love and infectious energy. There was no facet of their life that was not thoroughly in-tune; No disagreement that could sour their love; No rom-com too mushy for them to watch together.

Loving and loved to the fullest, Shawn's time with us was too short. Conversations about death with the dying are difficult, but Shawn was direct as always. He maintained his dignity throughout his illness. He did not despair at the prospect of death. He faced cancer just as he met every other challenge in life: with his iron determination, a winning attitude, and with the support of his loving family. The cancer care team at Olathe Cancer Center also fell in love with his intrepid optimism; the nurses, staff and Dr. Corum got to know Shawn on a personal level and helped him in navigating his treatment, while he attempted to make their work healing patients a little brighter by sharing his infectious humor.

Shawn was preceded in death by his brother, Drew Nigh; his grandparents, Hettie and Lee Schell; his father-in-law, Marcell Ledbetter; and his grandson, Maren Winslow.

Shawn leaves behind his devoted wife of 22 years, Janet Taylor, as well as his children, Hailey (Daniel) Winslow, and Tristen Taylor; his grandchildren Jasper and Fox Winslow; his parents Glen and Barb Taylor; siblings, nieces and nephews and very close friends.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, March 16, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. at The Meadowlark event center, 20650 W. 191st Street, Spring Hill, KS 66083.

Tempus fugit. In lieu of short-lived flowers, Janet asks for donations to the Olathe Cancer Center through the Olathe Health Charitable Foundation @ www.olathehealth.org/patients-and-visitors/giving/

To share a memory of Shawn or leave a special message for his family, please visit the guestbook below.