To Jackie, the 4 beautiful Taylor kids, Kevin’s parents and sister and the extended Taylor and Houston family:

I am absolutely shaken by this news I heard only recently of Kevin’s death. I am so terribly sorry to hear of your loss.  I can’t believe someone so vibrant, so energetic and so full of life is no longer with you in person. I have to believe that someone with so much heart and good is somehow with you still, keeping you all safe.  

I met Kevin in 1991.  We were both lifeguards for the City of Ottawa for a few years. I met him as one of the trio The Three Amigos, of Kevin, James and Mark. Having been an Air Force brat myself, we laughed about life on bases growing up.  The Three Amigos were known for being so much fun to work with, and of course, all the girls thought they were fantastic looking!  🙂  I was in my last year of high school but preferred my Aquatics friends over my high school friends and attended my prom with very little enthusiasm.  The best part of my prom was when the Three Amigos showed up and liberated me from a very boring night and took me to a house party instead.  Kevin drove the getaway car.  It was at this party that I first heard Kevin play guitar and it was amazing!  Either that evening, or soon after, I became aware of the legend that exists to this day.  “Otis”.  I am not sure if I have this right, but I think the Three Amigos all had Blues’ artists’ nicknames and it came from that because I think the other Amigos were “Floyd” and “Grover”—I guess Mark would be able to tell that part correctly—it’s been a long time! Anyway, when people would ask Kevin his name, he would respond, “Otis”. He just was Otis. Pretty much all the time. On the sign-in sheets that we logged our hours to get paid, “Otis Taylor”.  Painted on the walls of the lifeguard towers on the beaches and in the offices there, “Otis”.  Over the P.A. system on the beach if he was needed, “Hey OTIS!!” Truly, there is an entire generation of lifeguards that believe their National Lifeguard Service qualifications came from an instructor named Otis. We used it against him too:  “Who’s paying this bill/bar tab?” “OTIS!!” Of course then he would calmly say to the server, “Not me. I’m Kevin and I’ve got the i.d to prove it”. It was his Aquatics’ name and the name was as big as the personality it came with.  Still, though, I am sure it’s no surprise to his family and friends that he was a great lifeguard: vigilant, fit, and compassionate when someone needed help.  He had top-notch skills and competed with great success in regional, provincial and national level lifeguard competitions. He was a popular instructor, teaching little folks how to swim with the same enthusiasm he had when teaching advanced lifeguarding and first aid classes.  Parents were always asking if their kids could be in Otis’ classes.  

Kevin’s hair was bleached blond during the sunny beach years of the early 90s and it was long. I am blond too and I remember one year my mother, who I had instructed not to distract me if she ever showed up at my work, came to the beach with the lunch I had left at home. She went to the lifeguard with the long blond hair on the high beach guard chair. (the back of the chair went up almost to our necks, so she couldn’t see the shoulders or back of said lifeguard)  Standing directly behind the chair so as not to distract the lifeguard she thought was me, she went on and on about nutrition and eating during a long hot day and passed the lunch up underneath the chair without waiting for a response, and left. When I got back from my run, as I was actually  on break during my mom’s visit, Kevin kindly told me to thank my mom for the delicious lunch and to tell her that he would pay better attention to his nutrition and hydration.  And yes, he did eat it all.  

I remember Kevin’s pranks. He loved to joke around and plan ways of really getting people going.  One day a few of us used a spare key from a magnetic box under the bumper of his old Honda hatchback to prank Kevin as he had been getting us all summer. We took that key and drove that Honda up the big hill that overlooks Mooney’s Bay beach.  At the end of the day, we thought we were so funny as we watched him first search the parking lot for the missing car, then spot it up the hill and calmly drive it back down and head home.  We got him, we thought.  Of course not.  At the end of the next day, we went to our cars and they were plastic-wrapped shut.  There was no way I could get my doors open.  There were metres and metres of Glad-Wrap over and under the car.  The first aid crash scissors were no help; there was far too much plastic. Try unwrapping boxes and boxes of cling wrap from your car. Oh, and for good measure, Kevin had put water in between the layers, making it nearly impossible to find an end to start the unravelling process.  Hours…  The next day I biked to work instead.  Kevin was not done though as he had figured out it was me that had told about the location of his hidden car key. When I went to get my bike at the end of our shift, it had been locked to the gate of our equipment room.  With a lock that was not mine. Day 3 of his revenge literally had me rollerblading to work, but alas, off came the wheels of my rollerblades by the end of our shift and that was when he had to be declared all-seeing, all-knowing king of pranks.  He loved to play pranks at the pool and at the beach and he was a great organizer of fun. I remember lifeguard car rallies and “reindeer games” where we would have to ‘assassinate’ another lifeguard off the work site which led to the most ridiculous stunts and stories to try to corner each other all over the city.  We went on a staff trip to Wonderland one summer and he challenged us to try to throw each other off the raft on the way down one of the slides in the water park there. We successfully knocked each other off the raft ibut also got kicked off the slides for the rest of the day. So much for being awesome lifeguards, but we laughed and laughed that day.  He had this way of leading people around him in the most fun, most engaging, most hilarious ways.  

I remember meeting you, Jackie, once or twice during my last year on the beach, shortly after you and Kevin started dating.  You had a great guard team name, Quick Goat Thinking! It makes me laugh to this day.  I also remember one of Kevin’s friends (Andy) saying about you and Kevin, “This one is the one for him. He’s really into her”.  Clearly, that was true for the rest of Kevin’s lifetime.  Years after that when I belatedly found out about James’ passing, I googled Kevin, who I hadn’t seen since the Aquatics’ years, and found his email at the CRTO.  I passed on my condolences and via email we shared a couple of James stories and then caught up a bit.  He proudly told me about your 2 boys ( this was in 2013 so your youngest littles were not born yet) and your wonderful family.  Remarkably, that fall, and I believe the next one too, I quite literally ran into him at the Army Run in Ottawa on the 5k course and we said a fast hello.  He was so proud as your oldest son was there too as well as his grandparents. 

I know a year has passed since Kevin died and to you all, I hope I haven’t re-opened wounds by posting this now. Almost 30 years have passed since those lifeguarding days ended and we all went our separate ways. We have all lost touch and this news did not reach us.  Please know that Kevin brought smiles to so many faces during those years in the 90s and he created laughs and memories that will live on forever.  I hope that you, Jackie, your children and your families can share laughs about the lifeguard that went by the name of Otis.  I have no doubt your life together was full of laughs too.  What a terrific person Kevin was. I am so very sorry to hear of his battle with glioblastoma.  I am very thankful that I knew him. He made life better for everyone around him. 

To Jackie and family,
I am so sad to hear this news. Kevin and I met at Schulich during our MBA. We worked on the India project together with a great group. He was always a voice of reason and I appreciated his calm and even demeanour. Our group travelled to India and it was there that I really got to see his personality and his sense of adventure. We took a crazy trip to the Taj Mahal, which I recount regularly.
My deepest condolences to you. I can only hope that you and your family are surrounded by the love and support of your extended village.

Irene, John, Shannon & Kevin’s family

I was saddened to learn the news of Kevin passing in August. I remember playing together as kids when we lived in Greenwood, NS. We trained and competed together on the “Greenwood Dolphins”, and I recall regularly being frustrated that Kevin was always the faster swimmer!

Like so many Air Force brats, we moved around and lost touch over time. It’s unfortunate I am only catching up on his life now. He clearly accomplished much in 52 years, both professionally and personally. I can’t imagine the sorrow and loss his family and friends must feel. Words of condolence often seem inadequate, but I wanted to write something if only to pay my respect to his family, and bid farewell to a childhood friend.

To the Family of Kevin Taylor,

Thank you for sharing such joyful and loving information about Kevin shared via the Canadian Network of Agencies for Regulation (CNAR).

The Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy Regulatory Organizations (ACOTRO) is a member of CNAR; our ACOTRO board is made up of regulators from each province in Canada. Many of those individuals regularly attended the CNAR Conferences where we had the opportunity to meet and interact with Kevin. He provided such incredible leadership to CNAR – an organization that has grown exponentially in size and value to its members over the past few years. Some of the ACOTRO board members were Kevin’s Ontario colleagues or on the conference planning committee; they speak of Kevin with such respect and admiration.

ACOTRO’s donation is made with caring.

I’ve tried on several occasions to compose a tribute to Kevin, this time I’m going to grit my teeth open my heart and share. I first met Kevin in St. John’s for my first regulatory meeting. Before the end of the first night Kevin had befriended me, as he seemed to do with just about anyone who was willing to let him in…. it wasn’t hard. There are few people in the world who have the ability and willingness to let people in, be genuine, open, honest, loving and understanding without any previous history or pretense. We bonded over food, family, travel and a willingness to listen and hear each other. It was very apparent quickly that Kevin loved life and everything it had to offer from family, adventure, friends, food, athletic endeavors, the outdoors and I think above all else happiness and the pursuit there of. I remember laughing over breakfast about his boys letting him know mom had made really good peanut butter pancakes, and how he said there was no way as he was the master peanut butter pancake maker. He created a happy environment everywhere he went. I have always gravitated towards leaders who lead with their heart, compassion and a sense of doing what is right even if its the hardest option and in that regard I think Kevin fit that bill better than anyone I’ve ever met. I’m saddened that I never had the chance to head out to Toronto and area just to hang out with our families, it was something that we talked about on several different occasions.

While I may not have known Kevin for a long time the footprints that he left on my soul are indelible. He was a role model to say the least and blueprint on how to live your life to the fullest. That he certainly did. I’ll miss you always, until we meet again.

Sending all the love one person can through a computer,

Dear Jackie and Family,

I am so sorry for your loss. Kevin was a tremendous leader and professional. I had the chance to work with Kevin at St. Michael’s Hospital, when he was Manager of Professional Practice. Kevin was assigned to the new Patient Education Committee that I was chairing and through this work, I got to see his leadership in action in many ways.

As a clinician and healthcare professional, Kevin always modeled patient-centered care and promoted patient education as a must-have in care. He was generous with his insight on how to get buy-in with the health professions and how to articulate the value of the work.

As a leader, Kevin was always available to consult with, provide insightful advice and to encourage the work. I remember that he always took the time to consider initiatives he was involved with and to openly express encouragement and support.

There’s one situation I remember with Kevin that says a lot about him and his support for others. He was attending a retreat on patient education that I had planned and organized. At the beginning of the day, the leader who was welcoming everyone referred to me by the wrong first name. It happened once, which was a little uncomfortable. When it happened again, Kevin spoke up from his spot (with a smile on his face, of course) and let the speaker know that they weren’t using the right name. It was an awkward situation (especially for me as a young leader! In a room full of people!) but Kevin intervened in a small way that made all the difference to me and diffused any awkwardness. And no one called me the wrong name again!

I haven’t seen Kevin in many years, since I left St. Mike’s. Yet, he’s crossed my mind so many times since then because he made such a difference while I was there and taught me so much about good leadership. Even after 10 years or more since I’ve seen him, I feel Kevin’s loss personally and can only imagine how it’s impacting the RT community. Most of all, I’m sorry for your loss of a father and partner. He was too young and I’m sorry that he was taken from your lives so early.

It has taken me a while to leave a tribute for Kevin. I first met him when I was a new RT grad coming to work at St Mikes. He was a wealth of knowledge, had passion for the profession and an awesome sense of humour. I looked up to him whenever we worked together and even after I left, we still kept in touch. Our paths crossed again when we worked together at the CRTO, once again I saw all those amazing qualities from prior and even more. Kevin was a presence. He could captivate a room just by being there, and people listened when he spoke. Kevin was a shining light for our profession, a mentor for all and a friend to many. Kevin, you will be greatly missed but your memory and legacy for all you accomplished will live on.
A true friend is never truly gone. Their spirit lives on in the memories of those who knew and loved them.

Been wanting to write something for a while but having trouble on where to do with this… I was going to start by saying that I was just a “colleague” of Kevin… But I realized that after a certain age (Kevin and I are of a similar vintage) that professional relationships become just a crucial and meaningful as personal ones. To a great extent we had similar lives – working in regulation, living on the Danforth – he had twice the number of kids that I do 🙂

Kevin nd I went went through a lot together, including dealing with “challenging” individuals. Were my instinct was always to be confrontational, Kevin understood the value of a calm, clear head and composure even in the face of abject idiocrasy. He taught me how to be strategic and play “the long game” when confronted by an seemingly intractable situation.

He was also wickedly handsome… my number one man crush… somebody needed to say that 🙂

I think about Kevin every day. I can’t imagine what his family is going though but if there is anything I can ever do for them, please, please let me know.

Jackie, Isaac, Théo, Felix and Zoé,
 
As I read through the many tributes to Kevin, it is hard not to marvel at the breadth and depth of friends, family and colleagues Kevin touched.  For me, I will miss catching up and comparing stories about growing up and navigating being a father, husband and busy professional. Kevin was a trusted confidant and friend that could always be counted on for his optimism, humility and sense of humour. After spending time with Kevin, I would always leave feeling better than when I walked in. Such friends are hard to find. I will miss him greatly.

I worked with Kevin as a fellow Registrar and we were on the HPRO Management Committee together. I greatly enjoyed working with Kevin and I am so utterly shocked and saddened at his loss. The first time I met Kevin, I wasn’t yet a Registrar. It was a bit daunting to meet with someone in his role. I remember sitting in his office and we were all having a very serious conversation about very serious regulatory things. This was important work we were doing, after all. When, all of a sudden, his cell starts ringing, except it wasn’t really ringing, it was Darth Vader breathing at us. He says “Oh, that’s my wife, I’ll call her back later”. You have to appreciate a man, who is an RT, setting his wife’s ring-tone to Darth Vader. Kevin knew we did serious work but also knew not to take things too seriously. We were lucky to work with someone like that and I will miss his good humour and kindness. I am so very sorry.

I first met Kevin when he became the president of the CRTO. He was an amazing leader for our profession. We had many great conversations about work, family and life. I feel very blessed to have known Kevin. He has done many wonderful things and was always so kind, friendly and down to earth.
He will truly be missed!
My thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time.

Using a seldom used description, Kevin was an “honorable” guy. All tributes to him point to this. We didn’t cross paths often enough but when we did, the experience was always pleasurable and memorable. I remember Kevin sitting in a circle with the “boys”, following a family wedding. He didn’t know I was watching him and Isaac to see their reaction. The men decided to regale Kevin with a french canadian drinking tradition dating way back and all started chanting something similar to today’s freshmen parties. I had never seen Kevin laugh so heartily. His smile lit the room. You knew you had crossed paths with style, poise and innate kindness when you met Kevin! He is missed. To Jacqueline and her children we offer our heartfelt condolences and our support. Kevin lives on in our hearts and in all that he was to all of us.

It’s hard to know where to start. Kevin and I met as RTs and have grown in our working relationship at the CRTO on council. Recently Kevin and I had the opportunity to really bond and connect over our mutual “neuro journeys” and I looked forward to connecting with him weekly over the last 5 months to talk, yell, cry, joke and laugh share memories and just “be”. I have fond memories of CSRT conferences, council outings, council meetings and his melodic voice as he explained the complex world that is regulation! I will miss his calm, his strength, his influence, his advocacy, his passion for everything in his world. I hope that our conversations and mutual musings were able to help in some small way throughout the past 5 months and I am grateful for the time we had to really connect through our experiences. Kevin, I will miss our chats, your company, your passion and your dedication to our profession. Cheers to a life although short, well lived with and immense legacy that will live on in all of us. Rest well my friend.

Lindsay

La première fois que j’ai rencontré Kevin, j’ai été séduite par son intelligence, son leadership et sa grande passion de la profession. Nos échanges, parfois, intenses, ont toujours permis à l’Alliance d’avancer. Il est d’ailleurs le seul avec qui je pouvais, de temps à autre parler en français.

Difficile de croire qu’il n’est plus des nôtres. Je suis de tout coeur avec toute la famille de Kevin, ses amis et ses collègues. J’ai une pensée toute spéciale pour sa conjointe et ses enfants qu’il adorait.

Il nous manquera, mais je garde un souvenir indélébile de son passage à l’Alliance et dans ma vie.

Josée

Kevin, was a person that you only needed to be around for a short period of time to realize he was a terrific human being. An easy going, light-hearted, fun person to interact with every time you had the opportunity to be around him.
I’ve only known him for about 5 years with our interactions at the College but we had an instant connection as we are both fathers to 4 young kids and we both enjoyed sharing stories about raising twins.
His love for his family was first and foremost and his zest for life will be ingrained within his children for their lifetimes. From our family to yours we wish the Taylor family all the best.

I’ve been putting this off for some time. Possibly because I don’t want to accept reality. How can someone so good be gone so soon. Kevin, you’ve left such a positive and lasting impression on everyone who you connected with. At such a young age you were so accomplished professionally yet so dedicated to your family. You’re quiet leadership allowed others to shine and you gently guided from the sides. You’ve made an unforgettable impact on all of us in the regulatory community and you’ve always inspired me to be the best I can be in all facets of life. I’ll miss you my friend.

To Jackie and Children, I’ve known Kevin for about twelve years through the National Alliance. Kevin has been a valued member of this organization as President of CRTO and then as CEO of CRTO. I valued Kevin’s presence as he always added value to any conversation. He became more of a friend than simply a work colleague as he would do whatever it took to support the people he worked with. He is greatly missed by the Respiratory Therapy community.
I wish you all the best as you begin to move forward with life without Kevin.

Dear Irene, John and Shannon ~ It is hard enough to hear of the passing of a dear friend’s parent but unbelievably sad to hear about them losing one of their children. I wasn’t fortunate enough to be in Kevin’s whole life but I do remember when he was born and some of his walking, talking young years, even though I missed his first concussion.
He was a sweet child then and from all the tributes, it’s clear he grew into a very special young man. In today’s world of craziness, people like Kevin are such a Blessing. I share your sorrow in the loss of your son and brother.
love, Sheri

Kevin left this world a month ago yesterday, and my heart has not yet been able to accept that he is gone. It is difficult to imagine I will never see him again. As he was for so many people, Kevin was an influential teacher, wise mentor, and dear friend of mine.

He was an extraordinary, talented, thoughtful, passionate person. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to know Kevin, and to have spent time with him on occasion. Looking back now, those times with him felt like sunshine for my soul. He was always supportive, encouraging, and gave me confidence. He was a wonderful listener, and always found time for a chat. He was intelligent, with wealth of knowledge, humble, and generous. Knowing him truly made my life better. He would tell me stories about whatever new things he had learned about; (and that list was about as varied and endless as one could imagine, from cooking, to travel, to exercise regimes, to stories of leadership in the trenches of healthcare regulation.) Kevin was always curious about something, and had a knack for being an engaging story teller, who would teach you all about the things he had discovered. He taught me the importance and value of asking a “good question”, which I will never forget.

It was abundantly clear he loved his children more than ANYTHING in this world, and was happy to tell anyone who would listen, all about them. There were unlimited entertaining stories about life in the Taylor household. Stories of the adventures he and the kids would embark on each day. I recall some of the things he spoke of that made each of the kids smile. Isaac and basketball, Theo and his love of video games, Zoe liked puzzles, and her Bunny, and Felix loves leggo,and basement dance parties where they would laugh at Papa’s dance moves. Kevin always said the most important ‘job or role” he ever had was being a Papa to his crew. He was so very proud of his children,and did his best to raise them to be good people, with good morals.

Kevin was proud of his family, and of his wife Jackie, by his side. He’d often say that they were such a great team in raising the family. They supported one another in their busy careers, but made the family the number one priority, which required astute organization skills, for which he commended Jackie for being the glue to hold things together.
I teased Kevin about living up to his “Leo” sign. He was fiercely protective of the people he cared about. His calm, confident, protective traits reminded me of a lion.

Knowing how much of an animal lover I am, Kevin also shared many fond and proud stories of his parents and sister with me. He would tell me about his Mom, and her Bernese Mountain Dog “Ben” – and show me photos of them as they learned and did fantastic at carting! (this was so amazing to me, because I have owned 2 BMD’s and love this breed so much). I would also get to know about his sister Shannon, and her amazing riding talents as a horse trainer/ and how she’s a little bit of a horse whisper. He was proud of her ability to have an uncanny connection with horses, and often was the trainer who worked with the difficult young ones at the track. He was so impressed and amazed that his dad planted hundreds of trees on their property, and thought of how wonderful it would be to see those trees grow over the years. It was so easy to see how much Kevin loved his family.

I smile when I think about the almost immeasurable level of enthusiasm Kevin had for his hobbies and passions in life, Cycling, tinkering with bikes in the garage, playing his guitars,competing at nearly any physical activity, craft beer with the “boys”, taco’s, burgers, and food in general, Travel and adventuring in new places. Kevin loved life, and did a fantastic job living every moment to the fullest. He didn’t waste a single minute. Tragically, he was taken from us far too soon, but he left his mark on this planet, and we will never forget the man he was. I will remember him with much love, and miss him very much. I imagine he’s up there in heaven, reunited with his grandfather who he adored, his labrador retriever, Bali, and his friend James,from the “good ol days”, smiling, and watching over his family and friends and telling us all to go out there and enjoy everything this life has to offer.

 Kevin was someone who I came to know some fifteen years ago. From the start, I quickly realized that Kevin was an exceptional person, husband, and father. Smart, athletic, kind, caring, and talented in so many ways, Kevin had it all and was ‘the real deal’ as they say.
 Kevin displayed such amazing courage, dignity and loving care for those around him as he fought the fight of his life. His life was heartlessly cut short much too soon and his passing has left so many to grieve.  
  His legacy and spirit will live on through his beautiful children, as they will forever remember and emulate all the good that he represented to them, and to so many others.
  I still remember his gracious, warm smile the last time that I saw him.
  You’ll be forever in our hearts, Kevin, always with love.

Donna Glover

Kevin Taylor was the former CNAR Chair and the CEO & Registrar of the College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario. He volunteered on the CNAR Board for six years, with the last three years as Board Chair. As the Chair he hired me to become CNAR’s Executive Director shortly before COVID started.   Considering the upheaval Covid caused especially for his profession he continued to not only support and guide me in my new role but showed incredible vision, leadership, and passion as our Chair for the modernization of governance and regulation.    

Because of COVID I never had a chance to meet Kevin in person but through our numerous Zoom calls we had wonderful, insightful discussions mixed in with plenty of laughter and jokes.

My sincere condolences to Kevin’s family. We will miss him.

Such a loss for Kevin’s family, his colleagues, his friends and the health regulatory sector. He walked gently upon this good earth and wherever he went, he shared generosity and kindness.

Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.

(John Wesley, Letters of John Wesley)

Kevin was an amazing leader, listener, and mentor. Throughout the pandemic I had the great fortune of being able to reach out to him for a variety of reasons. No matter how busy he was he always seemed to graciously find the time to listen, to help break things down and to provide guidance for next steps. He also took the time to ask how my family was doing and to share what his children were up to. Whether it was kids swinging from curtains or a unicycle going down the street, there was always something exciting happening on Kevin’s end of the line and he seemed to manage it all in stride.

The RT profession has benefitted tremendously from Kevin’s energy, dedication and passion. He has lit a torch that will forever be carried by all those who had the great fortune of working with him. Kevin’s kindness, compassion and perseverance will forever be embedded within our profession and our dedication to enhancing patient care.

My sincerest condolences to Kevin’s family. Thank you for sharing Kevin with us all.

I had the privilege of meeting Kevin in Singapore when he worked as an RT. Although I was at the children’s hospital, we were a small group of RTs in the city and most of us Canadian. We spent many a night socializing and exploring the city. His sense of adventure and commitment to the profession was evident then. My condolences to his family.

Kevin is one of the greatest people I’ve met in my life. He was more than a boss to me; he was my mentor and provided me with career guidance.

Kevin will be missed immensely by anyone who had known him. In so many ways If I am anything today, it is in part because of Kevin.

Although he is no longer with us, memories of Kevin are always there, you will always be missed, my teacher, my mentor. 

A Tribute to Our Son/Brother

From Irene, John, & Shannon Taylor

 
Thank you to everyone for sharing your special stories of Kevin; it means so much to us to hear about your relationships with him.  Our kindest thoughts are with you as we mourn his loss together.

We’d like to share a few stories from Kevin’s formative years. His life of adventure began at age 6; he suffered his first concussion after playing bicycle smash-up derby with his best friend. Cycling became one of his passions as an adult, be it mountain biking, long distance cycling, or adventure racing.

He and his sister Shannon have many good memories of fun times spent together adventure racing. They were best friends, and always looked out for each other. He was the older brother that she looked up too for guidance, inspiration, protection, and fun. She was the younger sister that he admired for her determination, sense of kindness and goodness, and her great sense of fun. He admired her athletic ability in riding racehorses, and was so proud of her for doing the Ironman…twice!

Kevin took Shannon to her first rock concert to be sure she stayed safe. When she got her driver’s license he took her out for donuts; she thought they were going to Tim’s. Not so…they went to a parking lot where he showed her how to do donuts, and the jammed emergency brake on our car told us that story upon it’s return home. Always a fun brother and a great teacher! They were known to share a love of good Scotch, and shared a wee dram or two!

Kevin had a great love for his Grandparents, both Veterans of WWII. With great pride and a heart full of love, he participated in the Annual Army Run in Ottawa that honours Veterans; they did this 3 years in a row. He and Shannon pushed their Grandparents (in their nineties) in their wheelchairs. Kevin taught his son Isaac the value of honouring Veterans by having him join us when he was old enough to do so. Kevin was always a teacher, and was always grounded by good values.

Kevin was afraid of heights, but he faced that fear head on and tried many new things. As a teenager, Kevin and his friend missed the last bus from school. Rather than calling to request a ride home, they hopped on a moving train; they thought it would stop in Trenton. It didn’t!   So…when they reached a trestle bridge in Trenton, they jumped from the moving train into the river far below. They emerged unscathed and we learned of this adventure several years later.  Perhaps this was a practice run for his next big adventure of skydiving! Kevin was never afraid to try something new. This was later reflected in his professional life as he constantly strived to think outside the box.

In Grade 6, he received a Scholastic and Citizenship Award for the student who best exemplified the qualities of outstanding academic achievement, leadership, and citizenship. He was quoted as saying the values he would like to practice were” honesty, fairness, and responsibility. “

Kevin, you accomplished all of these and more. You led a good life, and left the world a better place for all who knew you.

We couldn’t be more proud of you.  We love you and will miss you forever.
Mom, Dad, and Shannon
 

Kevin’s note to his Mom just before his first surgery in Ottawa…..

“Do not be sad. This is just the start of a long journey that still has plenty of good times and laughter ahead.”

Kevin, it’s not the journey we expected, but with your words in our hearts, the journey will continue with us and your beloved family of Jackie, Isaac, Théo, Felix, and Zoé.
 

Kevin was an amazing person who would always light up the room with his smile at family gatherings and he will be deeply missed . My condolences Jackie, Isaac, Théo, Félix et Zoé. My heart aches for you and your family.

I’ve always looked to Jackie and Kevin as the perfect couple, and could not imagine this ending to their story. It was only two years ago that we saw Kevin at a family wedding: as always, he was kind and positive. He was a staple in the family, and I wish you allt condolences. I cannot begin to fathom your loss, he was truly a special person, and clearly held a special place in many hearts.

The numerous tributes left by colleagues, friends and family are a testament to the impact that Kevin had on others, even through short interactions. Even if distance meant that we did not have often have the pleasure of seeing Kevin and Jackie, on the rare occasions that we did, Kevin was always calm, upbeat and positive in his outlook. Attached is a photo (taken at our wedding in 2003) of how we will always remember Kevin: a warm smile, sparkling eyes and the love of his life by his side. Nos sincères condoléances à Jackie, Isaac, Théo, Felix et Zoé.

Kevin was the kind of person whose company you always enjoy. He connected easily with each one of us, with the curiosity, kindness and easy-going nature which so many others have noted. Family reunions and events will not be the same without him and he will be dearly missed. Our thoughts go out to Jackie, Isaac, Théo, Félix et Zoé.
Hélène & Joe.

My deepest condolences to the Taylor family.

Kevin was an amazing leader to the health regulatory colleges and his profession. We will miss his warm smile, thoughtful insights and leadership.

My thoughts and prayers are with you at this most difficult time.

Nancy

I met Kevin when I was an RT student at St. Michael’s Hospital. He was my clinical instructor and from that time forward he has been a mentor and good friend. Over the course of my career, Kevin always challenged me to embrace the opportunities that presented themselves to me. I have grown and accomplished so much professionally because of Kevin.

I also had the pleasure of working with Kevin through the CRTO, and had many great times when we travelled for meetings and conferences. Kevin lived his life with passion and enthusiasm and was always up for doing something fun. In any city, he could find the best places to eat and have a cocktail, followed by the best burger in town the next day.

Kevin always talked about his family and how much they meant to him. He was so proud of all his kids and his wife Jackie! I loved it when he would show me pictures and tell me stories! I’m thinking of you all – Jackie, Issac, Theo, Felix and Zoe.

Kevin, you have been taken away from us too early but we are all better people for having known you! You are dearly missed!

Christina

We have had the pleasure of knowing Kevin for a long time. We have watched Jackie and he raise a beautiful family together. Kevin was such a genuine, welcoming and passionate person who was interested in so many things,
We are so happy we had the privilege to have known him.

Are thoughts and prayers are with Jackie, Issac, Theo, Zoe and Felix

Dan & Heather Arts

To the Taylor family

Please accept our sincere condolences.
We knew Kevin when he was a toddler and up to his teens.
While in Greenwood our kids baby-sat him quite regularly.

We never saw Kevin after that but kept in touch with Irene
and John through the years. We heard all about his
accomplishments from his proud parents.

Our family sends their thoughts and prayers to you.

Mary & Ed Goski

Kevin’s Mom, Irene, and I taught at Innisfail Junior-Senior HIgh School in Alberta. Kevin was a little guy, about two, and they lived next-door to me in a teacherage apartment. He quickly won my heart, and I sometimes had the fun of giving him his bath while Irene did the supper dishes. My favourite was when he said, “Don’t wook at me” when I was taking his clothes off, but once he was in the tub he was totally unselfconscious. Irene and I had very unsophisticated palates at that time, and treated ourselves to Baby Duck wine on the weekends. One time we were in the liquor store and Kevin said, “Hey! That’s Baby Duck.” The clerk asked him if he liked Baby Duck. “Yeah,” replied Kevin, “but it makes me drunk.”

One of these pics is at Irene’s parents’ home in Calgary. Kevin is sitting with Irene’s brother Chris and me. When we were getting packed to leave for Innisfail, Kevin was crying because Grandma and Grandpa had coloured TV and he didn’t want to leave that TV behind. Irene tried to humour him, and told him that she had coloured TV too – black and white. Kevin informed her that those weren’t his favourite colours!

I’m sorry these photos are poor quality, but after all….they’re 50 years old! I couldn’t crop them any closer without losing what small amount of quality and clarity they have. (Unfortunately, I can’t seem to get all the photos to download. I’ll send them to Irene, and perhaps she can forward them to you.)

I did’t have the chance to know Kevin in adulthood, but I have such wonderful memories of him as a little boy. I do know that he grew to be a wonderful and accomplished man, professionally and as a son, husband, and father. My sincere sympathy to all of you.

Kevin was part of the CNAR committee that hired me. I recall the interview clearly; he immediately put me at ease. That was his way – he always wanted to give people the opportunity to put their best foot forward.

I would go on to work for Kevin either directly or indirectly for four years. We saw the departure of two Executive Directors and worked together to hire the third. More than any other Board or staff member at CNAR, he was a constant for me. We faced a few crisis situations together, and we celebrated great successes. Through it all, Kevin was calm, gracious, an encouraging. In Quebec City, he rolled up his sleeves and handed out badges to delegates, then hopped on stage as emcee to welcome our 600 attendees with professionalism and a warmth that was felt by all. At the networking reception, he would drop whatever he was doing to call or FaceTime with his family – because they were his priority above all else.

I learned so much from Kevin. I miss him.

I met Kevin through CNAR where we both served on the Board. He was an incredibly welcoming and inclusive leader. The first time we met in person we went from an informal meeting, to a lunch, and then a very formal presentation with a delegation from Malaysia who were looking to learn about Canada’s regulatory model. Kevin shone in all those settings. He was genuine, he was friendly, and he was absolutely unruffled by anything. Our Executive Director left and now he’d have to take that on? no problem. He was going to have to MC the CNAR conference in Quebec? no problem. He made it look easy and he made it look fun. It was an example that I won’t forget and something I’ll strive to replicate in my own professional life. We really miss you, Kevin!

Kevin will be dearly missed by all of us in the health regulatory community who had the privilege of getting to know this wonderful, smart, thoughtful, funny man over the years.

My most heartfelt condolences to Kevin’s family and friends.

Such a shock to hear of the passing of a great person. His impact on the respiratory therapy world was immense. I worked with him closely as he took over the CRTO during a challenging time and watched him change the outlook of many members through his honesty, hard work and determination. I would see Kevin in the summers at Withrow Park – a great father so committed to his family who he loved very much. Sending strength to his loved ones through this very difficult time.

Every time I think of Kevin, the first memory that comes to mind is the time Charles took a group of us skeet shooting on the bison farm. When the shotgun was taken out of its case and loaded with shells, Kevin turned to me with a grin and asked if I’d ever done this before. We both laughed knowing this was one of those surreal moments where you feel completely out of your depth. After we’d each had our turn to feel the recoil of the gun, and missed the clay pigeons by a mile, we compared notes and understood we needed to be leading the target (i.e. not shoot at it but shoot where it’s gonna be). From then on, we city slickers were blasting targets to smithereens like it was nothing and digging the outsized macho vibe like a couple of nerds.

It didn’t take much to like Kevin. He was an easy-going guy who was approachable no matter the situation. He was present when you spoke with him because he had an innate curiosity that shone in his eyes. He loved to laugh and have a good time and did both whenever our paths crossed over the years. Judging from the long list of tributes, it appears he had the same impact on others as well. If a person’s life is to be measured by the amount of smiles they brought into the world, then Kevin has left a legacy for Jackie, Isaac, Théo, Felix, and Zoé to be proud of. Mes sympathies.

I’m not yet over Kevin being gone, and likely will never be. But, reading these lovely, heartfelt words and knowing so many people admired, respected and loved him has helped. I’m not in the healthcare field and did not interact with Kevin on a work level but it does not surprise me that he was as genuine, caring, funny, intelligent etc in his chosen profession as he was in personal life.

We go back a long way; to be honest, I’m not even sure what year we met but it feels like we’ve been friends forever and I feel extremely lucky to be able to say that. We shared so many great times together – adventure races, marathons, cottage weeks/weekends, nuptials, the births of our children, dreams of trips past and trips still to come and many, many whiskies and craft beers.

When we were lost in our adventure races, our team could always count on Kevin being the pragmatic, calm one who didn’t panic and relied on his ability to slow down and look at the situation with a clear mind. Perhaps what I admired most about Kev was his ability to become so competent in something when he set his mind to it. Guitars, music (especially blues), beer, bikes, whiskey, and quite obviously respiratory therapy. When he took on something, he absorbed it and became an expert.

As we both became fathers and learned together how to navigate the parental rollercoaster, he was so great to talk to and hear about how he was dealing with a particular situation. He readily admitted when he didn’t have a clue, but that fact did not seem to stress him. Kevin (and Jackie) knew instinctively what we eventually all come to learn; love your kids unconditionally and be present.

I’ll forever cherish my friendship with Kevin and look forward to telling stories of our adventures together to Isaac, Theo, Zoe and Felix.

To Isaac, Théo, Felix and Zoé, I just want you to know that your Papa loved you very much. He was proud to be your father. He loved doing things with you, like going swimming, biking, or watching Raptors games. He will never forget you.
 
Jackie, the deep love that you and Kevin shared was always so present. Throughout your lives together you were both there for each other, but he was so proud of your accomplishments, the advancements that you made in your career, as you were of his. 
 
Few couples have shown what it means to be committed. Committed to each other, committed to the children, committed to your careers, and especially committed to the advancement of healthcare in Ontario.
 
Jackie, as your father, I just hope that fond memories of adventures that you and Kevin shared travelling around the globe, the excitement of welcoming four children into the world, that those memories will help you through these difficult days.
 
Kevin was a great guy, an exceptional husband, a fantastic father, and a son in law that I was very proud of. He was a caring, loving person and will be missed by everyone he touched. 
 
To you and the kids, I love you.
 
Kevin, you will never be far away.
 
John  xo

I was privileged to be Kevin’s colleague and friend. During his time as chair of HPRO and mine as chair of AGRE, we met monthly for breakfast and spoke in between on the phone.
Every time we talked or me, he always had a story about his kids, always told with a sense of humour, always making me laugh at the organized chaos in the Taylor home. I could tell what a very special dad he was and how much he cared about and doted on his kids.
His strength, the love of his life was Jackie whom he called his rock, his teacher, his mentor. He always spoke of her in such glowing terms and he truly loved her.
I learned so much from him. Kevin was always so kind, sensible and sensitive. His philosophy was such that he always wanted to turn the temperature down and find happy solutions where everyone was a winner.
He called me when he was first diagnosed and we communicated via text and email regularly after his surgery up until the end. He was optimistic and hopeful, still maintained and never lost his wonderful equilibrium, his humour.
My heartfelt sympathies go out to his family during this awful time of their profound grief and sadness.
He was taken from us far too soon, but his legacy to all of us is his personality, his values which will last forever in our hearts and minds.
So sad
Irwin

A mentor and and inspiration. Kevin was a true visionary and saw every challenge as a new opportunity.  Yet grounded and down to earth,friendly and welcoming.  A genuinely good heart that left everything and everyone better then how he received it . A true blessing and privilege to have known him. My thoughts and prayers are with the family  

How to add to all the great things Kevin was? The words have already been spoken here, wonderful true words, and lots of them. My words are just a few drops of what can be said, to add them up is to fill an ocean.

I knew Kevin through his work as the registrar of the CRTO , and I have to say my fulfilling work as an RRT for the CRTO. The first time he spoke I was WOW’d . He was a great speaker, he could read his audience, and knew what to say at any given time , he rarely… missed… a… beat.

And multi-tasking , we chatted because Kevin made sure he connected with everyone. Professionally yes but also personally. We knew he LIVED His life. Be it raising His Family, CRTO business, biking , running …..among many things. Or perhaps knowing the best place close to the Dundas Office for say a good IPA, or some grub for a small town guy from up north. He knew it and would offer it up!

When he came up North to do an education blitz, We took Him out showed him our town and connected once again , fun times!

I was lucky, were not we all? to share a drop of Kevins goodness? In this life that is all one can ask for, is to meet great people. To grow and learn from those relationships with those people.
When something is so good , the loss of that goodness seems so inconsolable. I am so saddened by this.

My thoughts and prayers goes out deeply and sincerely to Kevin’s family and friends and the CRTO staff.
Saying He will be missed is an understatement.

Jeff

My heart was heavy hearing the unfortunate news of Kevin’s passing. We shared lots of wonderful things. A heartfelt hug at least annually. Recognizing a peaty note in a glass of scotch. Our running or cycling exploits. The neighborhood in Toronto where he lived and I grew up.

His dedication to the profession and support of the CBRC. No words can express my condolences for his wife and children. I want you to know how much he loved all of you and his enthusiasm for sharing pictures or stories or the occasional time spent with his loving wife.

Until we meet again – rest up because we will cycle hard and ensure every peaty note in an expensive bottle of scotch is enjoyed.

Kevin hired my firm to be its official public policy consultancy many years ago. All my staff alway said Kevin Taylor was our favourite client. That is because he was always so happy, kind and generous with his praise of the contributions of others. He made everyone feel good about themselves and the job they were doing.

it was always great taking meetings with government when our client was Kevin. He had such a pleasant, disarming manner and was a tremendous communicator. It made our job easy.

I will not forget his email to me in April when he explained that he had “not so good news” about his diagnosis. That was so ….Kevin …to word it like that. Even in the face of adversity of that magnitude his words were calming and measured. He will be greatly missed.

My heartfelt condolences to all of Kevin’s family, friends and colleagues!

I feel priviledged to have known you Kevin! Thank you for your hard work and dedication to our Respiratory Therapy profession!

But what I was most impressed of; was how you expressed with a great smile your love of your wife and children! I will never forget that!

You will be greatly missed!

Kevin was a joy to know. To be with.
 
When I knew he’d be there, I knew we’d have a good time.
 
He knew a ton about a ton of things. Not just work things, but interesting things. Fun things.
 
Cycling. Music. Guitars. Whiskey. Whatever you (I!) wanted to talk about, he’d talk about it.
 
Always generous with his time, knowledge and advice.
 
And he’d not just talk. He’d listen.
 
He was always learning, totally in love with drinking up every ounce that life had to offer.
 
Most of all, totally in love with his kids and with Jackie. It radiated from his pores. Even when we were just having a beer on a back porch, it was there in that twinkle in his eye. He was just so proud of them.
 
Kevin was a friend and role model rolled into one, and I’m going to miss him.
 
Pierre

I only had the privilege of meeting Kevin and his wonderful family in person once, but for all the years I worked with his mother Irene, I saw from a far his strength, compassion and dedication to his family and his work.

His bravery and determination give strength to those who are battling cancer, or love someone who is, and his memory will remain an inspiration to all of us whose lives he touched.