Taylor Ray Dean

Taylor Ray Dean, 29, of Kansas City, Kansas passed away May 26, 2023 at his home.  Taylor was born May 22nd, 1994 to Randy and Diana Dean.  He was baptized on Father’s Day, 1994 at Immanual Lutheran Church in Junction City, KS and was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Abilene, KS.  Taylor was a proud 5th generation Kansan and a 3rd generation union construction worker.

Taylor attended USD 475 school and graduated from Junction City High in 2012.  He was always so proud to say, “I’m from Junction City. Once a Blue Jay, Always a Blue Jay!” In 2003 Taylor received the Certificate of Merit for the first annual Tom Coberstein Creative Science Award. He scored the top score in the state of Kansas on the first History assessment given to 8th graders in 2008.  He was involved in JCJBA; 12 years of 4-H, including many grand champion ribbons and 4-H king in 2009; football, wrestling, golf, JC Singers, honors choir.  When he was 12 he traveled to Australia for 2 weeks with People to People Ambassador group.

Taylor was an avid KSU supporter and loved everything K-State from the time he was a young child.  He began his college life at Kansas State University in 2012 where he was a member of the Air Force ROTC, Beta Sig Fraternity, K-State Dems.  He initially was majoring in Mechanical Engineering.  He quickly realized that the ME path lead to corporate greed and ruining the earth.  He switched majors to his passion:  History/Political Science.  He graduated with his BS in 2022 where he proudly held his diploma high.

In April of 2022 Taylor threw his hat in the political ring and ran for 3rd District Kansas House.  Shortly before the start of the primaries, he was gerrymandered out of the district that he had lived for 3 years.  He worked hard on his campaign.  He was defeated by less than 400 votes in a district he only knew for just a short time.

Taylor was an amazing chef and baker and loved sharing his creations with his family and friends.  He cared deeply about the earth and fought against those who only worried about the bottom dollar, not what they destroyed in the process.  He was always concerned about his fellow people, especially the poor.  Taylor always had a case of water in his car and a $10 bill in his pocket, should he come across someone in need he could offer them water and enough to buy a meal.

Taylor was involved in strikes throughout the Mid-West to include John Deere, Frito Lay, Nurses, Autoworkers, Fast Food Workers, Star Bucks, Sheet Metal Workers P1, and any other union or group that needed his support, no matter what union.  He was always there in unity for his union brothers and sisters.  He was involved in Wyandotte County TNR, where he met his beautiful fur-baby, Leon.  He was a proud member of LiUNA Local #1290 and worked on many building projects throughout the region including NBAF, Panasonic, Facebook, Cerner, and many others.  In 2012 he joined the Poor Peoples’ campaign to Washington, DC to protest against the elimination of Social Security and Medicare.  He helped out in both the James Thompson, Wichita, and Brett Welder, Kansas City, campaigns for US House, where he was a Super Volunteer, knocking on tens of thousands of doors.  He was an avid supporter of “Vote No for Prop A” in Missouri where he again knocked on thousands of doors and made thousands of phone calls to Missouri voters.  He was a staunch supporter of marijuana legalization, Medicaid expansion, sensible gun legislation, and fighting for those who couldn’t fight for themselves.  Taylor was a person who would talk to anyone for his causes, no matter their status in the world.  He was involved in JOCO Young Dems and WYCO Young Dems.

Taylor is survived by his parents, Randy & Diana Dean (Junction City, KS); his grandparents Marilyn Meyer (Abilene, KS), Yvonne Taylor (Monett, MO), Donald Dean (Clarksburg, WV); uncle David (Mercedes) Taylor (Youngsville, LA);  great- aunts and uncles Donna & RW Cook (Enterprise, KS), LaVonne & Marvin Smith (Silverdale, PA), Diane (Noble) Hargett (Monett, MO), Lester Gray (Abilene, KS), Sheryl Gray (Abilene, KS), Melinda Taylor (Edina, MN); his long-time friends John Pauldine (Palm Beach Gardens, FL), Courtney Robinson (Kansas City, KS), Lauren Martin (Prairie Village, KS), Tanner Pflumm (Shawnee, KS), Sage TeBeest (Ashland, OR); George Hana (Tecumseh, KS); Dani Revord (Kansas City, KS); his beloved fur-baby, Leon; and many many cousins and friends throughout the US.

He was preceded in death by his uncle Doug Taylor, grandfather Eugene Taylor, grandfather Ronald Meyer, great uncles Clyde Kickhaefer, Frankie Gray, Dwight Gray and Joseph Taylor.

Taylor's Celebration in Kansas City will be held on Saturday, June 17th from 10:00 to 1:00, at the IBEW #124 Union Hall, 301 E 103 Terrace, Kansas City, MO 64114. We will have a second service in Junction City, KS on June 24th from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm at the Geary County Convention Center, Courtyard by Mariott, 310 Hammond Drive, Junction City, KS 66441.

For the Kansas City services, we are asking all his Union Brothers & Sisters (no matter what union you are in) to please dress in your work clothes, whether it be your boots and high viz, nurses' scrubs, Starbucks uniform, Lay's uniforms, Autoworker's uniform, however you would dress when you go to work. That was who Taylor was. He was all-in for the working man/woman. At the Junction City service, please dress how you feel appropriate, whether that is in JC BlueJays gear, dress wear, etc. We are asking anyone who knew Taylor to please prepare a memory to share with all those who are in attendance.  If there is anyone who would like to sing a tribute to Taylor, you will be given time to do so.

Please bring your favorite libation so we can all raise a glass to your most dedicated brother in the fight.

Please consider donating to these causes in Taylor’s name: Working Families Friend of Kansas City ( https://wffriend.org/ ) , a non-profit who helps union members that have a tragedy in their family and cannot work and support their families. Or Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention ( https://preventconstructionsuicide.com/ ) "Each year 687 construction workers take their life."  If you donate on-line, please include “Taylor Dean” on the “In Memory of” line.

We ask each and every one of you to pick up the torch where Taylor left off.  Love your fellow man, protect the earth, fight for causes that will change the world, strike in unity with all unions, boycott Amazon, Wal-mart, and Koch Industries, buy union-made and support your locally owned businesses.  Register to vote, vote in every election, no matter how small, and run for office to make a change in the world.