Ryan Matthew Taylor passed away on May 5, 2024 at the age of 50, of natural causes.
Ryan served as the Director of Sustainability, Research and Industry Relationships for the CCPC.
No one was expecting Ryan’s life to be cut short so soon, as there were far more plans and adventures in store. “We are all devastated by this huge loss and we’ll forever hold him in our hearts. He was born with a heart of gold, a kind soul and a huge smile for everyone he met. He was larger than life itself,” his family said.
He had such an adventurous spirit. He loved spending time with his family first and foremost, but enjoyed camping, fishing, hiking, biking, canoeing, really anything outdoors. He also really enjoyed sports — golf and basketball if he was involved, but if watching it, the sky was the limit. As he watched he’d be “coaching” or cheering loud enough for them to hear. We always knew if his “Nuggets” were winning or not. If he didn’t have a team in the game, he would always root for the underdog.
Ryan took a hiatus from school when he was younger and perfected his craft of homebuilding, including custom log homes. Once he decided he needed a change of scenery, to school he went. He studied soils with the intent of being a “biogeochemist” as he put it. He was awarded his PhD from Colorado State University on May 4, 2024.
He was passionate about learning and was always reading something. He felt like over the last year or so he’d really come into his own in his career, bringing people together for a great cause and bridging the divide.
Ryan was preceded in death by his dad, Dean Taylor. He missed him deeply every single day. He was also preceded in death by both sets of his grandparents.
He will always be remembered by his wife Rittie as the greatest love of her life and he felt the same of her, daughters Rittie Winkelman (CO) and her daughter “Tootie” who was Ryan’s favorite person in the entire world; Ashley Searcy (CO); his loving mother Gayla Taylor (CO); his older brother Rob and his wife Alison (TX); and a long list of deeply saddened Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and extended family.
He was greatly loved and will be greatly missed by friends and colleagues as well.
Services will be held at a later date.
If you would like to share a memory you have of Ryan, please visit
https://bit.ly/RyanMTaylor.