Obituary of Anthony Robert Taylor
ANTHONY ROBERT TAYLOR: August 13, 1960 - March 29, 2020
It is with sorrow we announce the passing of our beloved son, brother, brother-in-law, family member and friend, Anthony Robert Taylor - who passed unexpectedly the morning of Sunday, March 29, 2020.
He is predeceased by his father, Robert Llewellyn Taylor and sister, Theresa Angelique. He is survived by his loving mother, Enid, and his sister, Sophie; brother-in-law Andrei, and two nieces, Tristan and Savannah.
Thank you for the gracious outpouring of love to our family at this tragic time. It has been heartbreaking. Anthony’s brush with death last summer nearly broke us. We survived those difficult weeks and held on to the hope that with time and dedication he might regain his strength and live a long life filled with vigor. Unfortunately, that did not happen. His ongoing health issues were exacerbated when Anthony came down with Respiratory Syncytial Virus Prophylaxis (RSV) a viral infection that normally afflicts infants. Though his body tried hard to combat the virus, its defense system was unable to. This led to organ failure. He was not alone. Sophie was by his side and holding his hand in his final moments. It is impossible to explain the hole in our hearts. A place that can never be filled again – as it is and has always been reserved for brother and son.
Sadly, Anthony was a man who didn’t fully grasp how incredible he was. Which is ironic because he inspired greatness in others. The comments and condolences reaffirm what an indelible mark he left, not just on our family, but to all he met. Thank you, thank you…from all that we are. Thank you.
He had a brilliant mind, with a rare ability to be linear in his thought process, while simultaneously thinking way outside the proverbial box. And talent. Boy was he talented. He was a brilliant artist in many ways, from sketching, to writing and photography. He had the keenest eye for beauty of all kinds and was able to capture moments in time that elicited emotion through the lens of his camera. He loved to take pictures…just like his father.
Music was a favoured pastime. Thanks to his parents, he grew up with an incredible appreciation and love for song – all genres. As a family we would cry while listening to Rogers and Hammerstein musicals and Broadway shows - Les Miserable being one of his favourites. From Frank Zappa to Genesis to Chris de Burgh and Supertramp, Cat Stevens…all the way to The Divine Miss M and Earth, Wind, and Fire. The playlist of his life was LOVE.
From as far back as can be remembered he’d either be reading books or comics, playing board games (especially Backgammon and Go), watching Sci-Fi anything, playing racquet sports, diddling on a computer, or writing prose. He collected stamps, toy cars, and GI Joe action figures as a young man, and had an extensive collection of LPs, DVDs and Video Discs. He loved being entertained and entertaining others. He loved life.
Anthony called himself an “Ideapreneur”, a title that couldn’t be more fitting. Self-employed for most of his adult working life, he played his hands at Desktop Publishing – creating and distributing “Pet-Talk” Magazine, was a partner in Masterpiece Life – a company whose purpose was to foster love, peace, and oneness through inspiration. He co-founded Creative Image Studios – a business that enabled people to be imaginative – with photography, acting, dance, and art. Most recently his time was spent in Freelance web development. Whatever he did, he did exceptionally well. Mastermind meetings will never be the same again.
He was blessed to have been loved by wonderful women, two of which he spent half his life with. Naomi (his ex-wife) and Tia (his ex-partner). Anthony and Naomi met as youngsters. Their love spanned decades. They married on July 26, 1986 and spent twenty-one years laughing, adventuring, growing, and being best friends to each other. Their marriage ended amicably, and they remained close friends. After some time of bachelordom, Anthony eventually put himself back on the market and it wasn’t long before he and Tia found each other. Ten years of life spent together, much with the shared love of books, long walks (very, very, very long walks) in nature, photography, trips to the local farmer's markets, and an occasion pint at the pub. They exchanged commitment vows on June 9, 2018. In November 2019 they parted ways; doing so in love and friendship. Thank you both for loving Anthony as beautifully as you did. You changed and enriched his life.
You’ve heard of ‘cat ladies’…well…Anthony was a cat man. Spencer, Parker, Bandit, and Nightingale were the furry loves of his life. His eyes and heart softened when they were around. The feeling was mutual as evidenced by their purring, curling up on his lap or keyboard (LOL), and nestling on his shoulder. They brought light and laughter to Anthony’s life, he brought security and love to theirs.
He also welcomed a good debate, as many of you already know. When he was passionate about a topic, you knew about it - whether you wanted to or not.There wasn’t always agreement, but there was always, ALWAYS love and respect.
Never one to be idle in mind, he delved deep into understanding human behaviour and why we do the things we do. Ted Talks and YouTube were staples in his day to day life. If it weren’t for Anthony, many would not have ventured down the road of personal growth. Lives forever changed because he cared. He loved to see people’s transformation. He believed in possibility and did all within his power to leave a mark and a legacy. He most certainly has.
He was the best big brother a girl could wish for. He was a loving son who cared deeply for his mother. He was a faithful friend and confident to many. He was an advocate and cheerleader. He taught, he challenged, he mentored, and he inspired us all – to love, to be vulnerable, to rise above adversity, and to trust the process of life – whatever that meant.
His humour. Unmatched. Dry. Brilliant. Laughing till tears streamed down cheeks. He inherited a twisted and wonderful ability to see the funny in life. Calvin and Hobbes, Herman, Monty Python, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, and countless Stand-up Routines put a smile on his face. Time together with Anthony was never, EVER dull.
And so, with that we press on. Forever in our hearts. His voice of reason will echo in minds for years to come. Imagining a life without him in it, is heartbreaking. In celebration of our beloved, let’s listen to his favourite songs, get down to some disco, sip on single malt scotch, enjoy a cigar, smile at strangers, and strike up conversations with the people at the checkout.
Thank you for being the touchstone by which we measure life. We love you – always and forever.
Anthony will be cremated, and his remains left in the care of his family.
Considering current affairs, a celebration of life will take place at a future time – TBD. Please check back to this site for details.
Donations can be made in honour of Anthony Taylor to: www.nyghfoundaction.ca and donor line: 416-756-6944 or by using the North York General Foundation link in the heading of his memorial webpage. Please specify the donations are for Cardiac Care.
Please share your memories, photos and sentiments of his life here.
Uniquely entrusted to eco Cremation & Burial Services Inc.
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