Historian and beloved Big Bend resident Lonn Taylor has died at the age of 79.
Jeff Davis County Justice of the Peace Mary Ann Luedecke confirmed Taylor's death. She said, Taylor died peacefully at his home Wednesday night, surrounded by loved ones.
"It is a huge, huge loss for the area," said Luedecke. "He was such an amazing historian and always had a fun story and could make us all chuckle about it.”
Taylor moved to Fort Davis with his wife Dedie in 2002 after retiring from the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History where he was a curator for 20 years.
Taylor — who was known as the “ The Rambling Boy” — was the author of 10 books. He wrote about history and West Texas. His weekly Rambling Boy column in the Big Bend Sentinel, which he also read on Marfa Public Radio, was a fan favorite.
Before his death, Taylor was working on an autobiography.
Marfa Public Radio will have more on the life of Lonn Taylor on Friday, June 28 at 11 am.
If you have a memory of Taylor you'd like to share, you can stop by the Marfa Public Radio studios, or leave a voicemail at 432-242-1896.
If you call, please tell us your name, where you're calling from, how you knew Taylor and a memory of him.
