FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report
He was dubbed the “King of Cloverdale,” a neighbourhood in Pierrefonds, because of his community involvement and acts of kindness. He retired as a constable with the Montreal Police Department in 1998 after 30 years of service. On Jan. 30, St. Lazare resident Frank Taylor died at home at the age of 80.
Friends, neighbours and colleagues spent the entire week paying tribute to Taylor on social media, praising him for his generosity, kindness, sense of humour and for helping countless troubled youth during his years as a police officer patrolling the West Island’s north shore communities.
“Frank Taylor was a great man and an amazing cop,” said Shawn Fitzgerald, whose father patrolled with Taylor. “He and my dad always laughed it up together. The Taylors’ loss is my loss, having known him over 40 years. His laughter will be missed by me.”
“A true legend, Frank Taylor has left us,” wrote Sûreté du Québec dispatcher Stéphane Brunet, adding: “Frank marked the lives of so many for so many years. Through his great generosity and his good cheer, he was a friend to everyone. Today, my sadness is immense, but I promise that when I think of you, Frank, I will smile – but just not today.”
In 1997, Taylor was honoured with a Canadian Police Association Top Cop Award and a Montreal police order of merit for having risked his life trying to save a suicidal Boston man who had driven his car into Rivière des Prairies in Ste. Geneviève in 1996. Taylor rushed out of his cruiser and used an old rowboat that had a hole in it (which he plugged with a shirt) to attempt to reach the victim, pulling him back to shore. Sadly, the man did not survive.
Survived by Heidi Luther, his wife of 60 years, his daughters Patricia and Jennifer, and his precious pooch, Henry. A visitation will take place tomorrow at the Rideau Funeral Home in Dollard des Ormeaux, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., and from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
“There will be an opportunity at the funeral home for people to give their eulogies,” said daughter Patricia, who said the location was appropriate, given that Montreal police Station 4 – where her father worked – is next door. Taylor spent a total of 30 years as a police officer, most of those at Station 4 and the former Station 12 in Pierrefonds.