William Paul Taylor

William Paul Taylor
Ankeny, Iowa

William Paul Taylor, 90, passed away peacefully with his wife of 71 years by his side on May 25, 2026, in Ankeny. He was born on December 27, 1935, in Asheville, North Carolina to Alva and Mamie Taylor.

Paul met Charlotte Louise at Enka Lake in Asheville and they soon married on September 28, 1955. They moved to Des Moines, Iowa and had four children, Valerie, Deborah, Mick, and Bill.

A true man of the outdoors and a master craftsman, Paul was a man who literally helped build the skyline of Des Moines. Paul worked as a commercial sign fabricator and installer for Iowa Neon and Eagle Sign for more than 40 years. Through his skill and dedication, he left a lasting mark on the Des Moines skyline, including the iconic Travelers umbrella sign that remains a downtown landmark today. A member of IBEW 347, his professional dedication was matched only by the remarkable range of his personal passions.

Paul was happiest when his hands were busy, whether he was meticulously building a wood-strip canoe, fletching arrows for a handmade bow, or tending to the trails of his beloved twenty-acre property on a vintage tractor. A self-taught gunsmith and a lifelong motorcycle enthusiast, he found peace in the morning mist of a duck blind and a sense of freedom on the open road stop on his Harley. His curiosity knew no bounds, leading him to master everything from flintknapping and taxidermy to the flight of radio-controlled planes.

His deep connection to his interests was reflected in his long-standing memberships with the NRA and the Iowa Traditional Bowhunters Society. Whether he was harvesting Osage orange from his own land to craft a bow or pursing mule deer with his rifle in the Wyoming mountains, Paul moved through life with a quiet mastery and a profound respect for the nature he so loved to observe.

Paul is survived by his loving wife, Charlotte “Louise”; daughters, Valerie (Cody) Paul of Ankeny, and Deborah Ash of Ankeny; sons, Mick (Kris) Taylor of Cedar Rapids and Bill Taylor of Montana; sister, Betty Jean Northen of Alabama; 10 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; two great great-grandchildren and one on the way. He is also survived by a host of extended family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Carolyn Aleine Fiser.

The family will greet guests on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., at Hamilton’s near Highland Memory Gardens, 121 NW 60th Ave., Des Moines, Iowa. A funeral service will follow at 12:00 p.m., at the funeral home. Paul will be laid to rest at Pine Hill Cemetery in Des Moines, Iowa.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.hamiltonsfuneralhome.com

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