Ronald Taylor

RONALD TAYLOR Cedar Rapids Although he had a successful advertising career which culminated in his ownership of the business-to-business Minneapolis-based advertising agency, Marcom Solutions, Ronald B. Taylor, who passed away Aug. 17, 2015, at age 74, would describe himself as an artist, activist and head of a thriving family who filled him with pride. Older residents in his hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, may recall that in the 1960s and 1970s, Ron organized the Eastern Iowa Grape Boycott and the 1969 Cedar Rapids Moratorium Peace March, served as vice-chair of the Linn County Democratic Party, and held the presidency of the Cedar Rapids Community Theater and Peoples Unitarian-Universalist Church. Even later in life, upon moving to Richmond, Ky., in 1998, after living in Minneapolis for nearly 20 years, his commitment to advocating for human rights and the arts continued with him, serving as general manager of the Richmond Human Rights Commis-sion, helping found the Richmond Downtown Association and being on the board of the Richmond Main Street Gallery. A firm believer in lifetime learning, Ron was not satisfied with only two years of training at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, and completed his B.A. in Fine Arts at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) in December 2005, graduating summa cum laude. Throughout his adult life, Ron spent some time each day in his art studio and had numerous gallery shows in Cedar Rapids, Minneapolis and Lexington and Richmond, Ky. Although abstract-expressionist painting was his primary artistic focus, Richmond residents and EKU alumnae knew him for his watercolors of Richmond and EKU landmarks. Preceded in death by his brother, Milton Taylor, Ron is survived by his wife, Christiane, who resides in Richmond, Ky.; sisters, Maxine Frueh and Joan Taylor; daughters, Robin Derlein, Dawn Dixon and Heather Golden; son, Milton Taylor; nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, all of whom reside in Cedar Rapids or the surrounding area. The memorial service for Ron will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at Peoples Church, 4980 Gordon Ave. NW, with a lunch to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Madison County, c/o Diana McDowell, 112 Jemina Dr., Richmond, KY 40475.