William Taggart
December 13, 2017
William Finis Taggart, 98, was born in Johnson County, MO, on April 18, 1919, to William and Mary Taggart. He passed away on December 13, 2017, in Stillwater, OK. At a young age, Bill and his parents moved to Cimarron County, OK. After high school graduation, he attended Panhandle A&M College for two years after which he enlisted in the US Army Air Force. Bill and Maxine Elliott were married on August 23, 1941. To this union, five children were born: Karen, Donna, Glenn, Jana, and Gary. Following WW II, Bill completed the bachelor’s degree in animal husbandry in 1947 at Oklahoma A&M College. In September 1947, Bill began service as an assistant county agent in Stephens County, OK, followed by serving as county agent in Dewey County and in Woodward County. After Maxine passed away in 1957, Bill and his children moved to Stillwater where he completed the master’s degree in 1958 and the doctorate in 1964, both from Oklahoma State University. In August 1964, Bill and Matile Phillips were married, a union that lasted until Matile’s passing in 1994. Bill worked as an extension livestock specialist until 1968, after which he joined the director’s office for Oklahoma Cooperative Extension. From 1975 until retirement in 1983, Bill served as associate director of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service; and for two years following retirement, he was the director of the Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership program. Over the years, Bill received many state and national awards and honors in his field. Bill was predeceased by his two wives, Maxine and Matile, his daughter Karen Shaw, and his step-daughter Kathy Greiner, his parents, his sisters, Lois and Mildred, and his brothers Robert, and James. Bill is survived by daughters Donna Taggart, Jana Petermann and sons and daughters-in-law Glenn and Sally Taggart and Gary and Barbara Taggart. He is also survived by his step-daughter Susan Phillips, two nieces, 13 grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren.