David A. Taylor, 85, of Canastota

CANASTOTA » David A. Taylor, 85, of Upper Lenox Avenue, passed away peacefully at his home Saturday evening, June 17, 2017, with his family by his side.

He is remembered by friends and family as a gentle, kind and generous man. As his last truly selfless and ultimate gift, he has donated his body to the Anatomical Gift Program at SUNY Upstate Medical Center School of Medicine.

Born in Oneida on Oct. 11, 1931 he was a son of Ernest and Alice Coe Taylor. A lifelong resident of the area, Dave was educated in Oneida High School. He married Ksenia “Connie” Stechyshyn in Saints Peter and Paul Russian Orthodox Church, Syracuse, on May 24, 1958; recently celebrating 59 years of marriage.

Prior to his retirement in 1986, Dave was a supervisor for the New York State Department of Transportation. He was a veteran of the United States Army serving from 1953-1955.

He spent his many years enjoying hobbies of beekeeping and honey production, woodworking, gardening, collecting antique tractors and had a love of trains. He enjoyed card game nights with his large and loving family, and looked forward to spending time on one of his tractors during haying season.

Dave was a former member of the Oneida Elks Club, Owls Club and Moose Club. He was a member of the Canastota American Legion, Post 140, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Rome, the Disabled American Veterans, Syracuse and the Durhamville Veterans Club. Dave was also a member of the Madison County Farm Bureau and the Central New York Antique Tractor Club. In his early years, he learned to fly out of local airports including Oneida, Canastota and Lakeport, in a Piper J3 Cub.

Surviving besides his wife, Connie, are: three daughters and sons-inlaw, Catherine and Mark Docous, Alice and Matthew Roberts and Mary and Brian Cavanagh, all of Oneida; two sons and one daughter-in-law, David J. and Suzi Taylor of Canastota and Timothy Taylor of Oneida; 12 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by six brothers and two sisters.

Services will be held 2 p.m. Saturday at the Campbell-Dean Funeral Home, Inc., 260 Main St., Oneida, with the Rev. Leon VanWie, Dave’s nephew, officiating. Interment will be made at a later date at the convenience of the family in Walnut Grove Cemetery, Wampsville. Friends may call at the funeral home on Saturday from 10 am. to 2 p.m., prior to the funeral service. Contributions may be made to the VAMC Voluntary Services, Code: 135, Attn: Lois, 800 Irving Ave., Syracuse, N.Y. 13210 or to the DAV-Charitable Service Trust, 3725 Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring, Ky. 41076. To leave a message of condolence, please visit www.campbell-dean. com.

CAMPBELL-DEAN FUNERAL HOME, INC.

Oneida