Vincent &Ella Taylor

Vincent Taylor (born Vinko Budja), 82, passed away Sunday, March 25, 2018, at his home in Lakewood, Colorado.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, April 29, 2018, at 2:00 p.m. The service will be held at Newcomer's Funeral Home located at 901 S. Sheridan Blvd. in Lakewood, Colorado.

Vincent was born January 19, 1936, in Benedikt, Slovenia. He survived Nazi and Communist occupation as a child. He completed his apprenticeship as a blacksmith in former Yugoslavia. He defected to Austria when his country was under Communist dictatorship and eventually came to America on December 16, 1954, with "seven dollars and no English" as he would say when telling the many stories of his colorful past. Vincent served over two years in the United States Air Force. He diligently studied for and earned his United States citizenship. He moved to Colorado where, in 1963, he met and married the late Ella Dell (Starke) Taylor. They recently had celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary. He worked over 30 years as a sheet metal worker foreman. He was a member of Sheet Metal Workers Union Local #9 since June 1, 1958, and retired in 1988.

Vincent Taylor was always ready to serve and give to those in need. He gave one hundred percent at his work and poured all his love and sacrifice into his family. He was known as a great story teller and loved to sit on his patio under the grapevines with his homemade wine and homemade sausage on warm summer days with friends and family. After retiring from sheet metal, he worked tirelessly on "his homestead" as he often jokingly called his home. He most enjoyed tending to his vegetable garden, flower garden, and fruit trees. He volunteered with the local irrigation ditch committee which provides the yard the water needed for such a beautiful, lush, park-like setting. He loved talking to friends and family. Two of his favorite stories were how he escaped from Communist Yugoslavia, and how he came to America by ship in 1954, taking thirteen seasick days, to cross the rough Atlantic ocean from Germany to New York. He was full of colorful, nostalgic stories that will forever be in the memories of those he touched.

He is survived by his son, Michael and his wife, Kamila; and his daughter, Elaine and her husband, Russ; as well as his grandchildren, Radek and Anika.

He is survived by his sister, Christine, and her husband, George, and by many half-siblings, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his honor can be made to the charity of the donor's choice.

To hear more of Vincent's stories, please visit the following link to Vincent's YouTube page:
https://bit.ly/2r2bA21

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Ella Dell Taylor, 84, passed away Sunday, March 25, 2018, at her home in Lakewood, Colorado.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, April 29, 2018, at 2:00 p.m. The service will be held at Newcomer's Funeral Home located at 901 S. Sheridan in Lakewood, Colorado.

Ella was born December 4, 1933, in Muenster, Texas, to Joseph and Anna Starke. She was the seventh of eleven siblings. She completed college at St. Anthony's School of Nursing in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and worked as a Registered Nurse. She moved to Denver and on December 14, 1963 married the late Vincent Taylor. They recently celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary.

Ella enjoyed her family and friends, especially time with her grandchildren whom she loved and cherished deeply. She loved flowers from her flower garden that was meticulously cared for by her husband. She volunteered at Molholm Elementary in the classroom, and the children loved the attention she gave them. When she was still strong enough to travel, she visited her grandson in Breckenridge, Colorado, and her granddaughter in Alaska. She loved sitting on the patio in the summer under the grapevines with candlelight in the evenings when her daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter would visit from Alaska. She enjoyed reading to her grandson and challenged him to games of checkers.

Mrs. Taylor is survived by her son, Michael and his wife, Kamila; and her daughter, Elaine and her husband, Russ; as well as her grandchildren, Radek and Anika. She is survived by her sisters, Marian, Jo Ann, Mildred, and LaVerna and her husband Leonard; as well as her brother-in-law, Vincent, who resides in Texas. She is also survived by her brother, Henry and his wife, Margie; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. Ella was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, Robert Starke, Joe Starke Jr., Daniel Starke, and Edward Starke; her sister, Irma Forrester; and brothers-in-law Robert Gruber, Robert "Bob" Miller, and Charles Belden Snyder III.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her honor can be made to the charity of the donor's choice.

To share a memory of Vincent & Ella or leave a special condolence message for their family, please visit the guestbook below.