in one of the stars I shall be ... laughing

In high school Steve introduced me to a book called The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Of course, Steve read it in French, Le Petit Prince. The little prince arrived on this planet from a star and teaches the author that "it is only with the heart that one sees rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye." As I read more of all our memories it becomes clear that Steve's gift was to see us all with his heart. I will forever see his smile, his twinkling eyes (that seemed to twinkle more with each passing year - as his face turned into a smiling moonface!) -- and his infectious laugh! He knew how to squeeze the joy out of every moment, and each moment in his presence filled his friends with joy and laughter. I thought of him when I saw the stars the other night, and The International Star Registry has now named a star in the Taurus constellation: R. Steven Taylor 'Le Bouche'.
from The Little Prince:

“In one of the stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars were laughing, when you look at the sky at night . . . You -- only you -- will have stars that can laugh!”
And he laughed again.
“And when your sorrow is comforted (time soothes all sorrows) you will be content that you have known me. You will always be my friend. You will want to laugh with me. And you will sometimes open your window, so, for that pleasure . . . And your friends will be properly astonished to see you laughing as you look up at the sky! Then you will say to them, ‘Yes, the stars always make me laugh!’ And they will think you are crazy. It will be a very shabby trick that I shall have played on you . . .”

Friends of Steve Taylor

My name is Kate Lyn Reiter. I have been friends with Steve Taylor since we were both sophomores in high school. His passing on February 23, 2009 has left me yearning to connect with his friends - and he has friends all around the world. I have started this blog as a place for us to all share our memories. Please share your memories here in comments.

I have learned that there will be a Memorial Service at the Metropolitan Community Church in Washington, DC, on Saturday, March 28th, at 6:00 pm. I will be attending. Many of us around the world will not be able to come. Please share your memories here and I will pass them along.

To Steve - I love you my dear friend, for all time and non-time.
Kate

Photos

We are all remembering Steve's wonderful voice. I found this photo from college when Steve was in the Tent Theatre production of "Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris" circa 1973. He had red bell bottoms, side-burns, and hair!

Directed by – Robert H. Bradley
Scenic Design by – Byrne D. Blackwood
Costume Design by – Sylvia Hillyard
Music Design by – Dawin Emanuel
Lighting Design by – David Loftin
Stage Manager – Guv Tostevin
Cast List
Janie L. Evans
Tessie Harper
Terry Jo Tichota
Bill Christensen
Tony Flacco
Monte Kuklenski
Steven Taylor
Dancers – Ginny Moore, Milton Blankenship

If anyone would like to share photos, e-mail them to me and I will post them.
KateLynReiter@comcast.net

Kate Lyn

Steve's Passing

Friends,
I learned some comforting words from Steve's friend Evan. Evan told me that there was a physician (and dear friend) at Steve's side for the week in the hospital and Steve passed without waking, and without suffering. Evidently, while traveling alone in Thailand (he was never alone as he made friends so easily) he collapsed with a heart attack and lapsed into a coma.
Steve loved to travel, and I am thinking that heaven was about the only place he had not yet visited.
Kate Lyn Reiter

Steve Taylor Bio

R. Steven Taylor was originally from Saint Louis, Missouri. Steve was raised in two religious cultures, Southern Baptist and Roman Catholic. He was ordained to the Christian ministry for the first time on November 12, 1972. He studied Theology, Music and Theater at Southwest Missouri State University. He went on to study Theology and French at Saint Meinrad Archabbey and Seminary in Southern Indiana. He also studied at the “Institut Catholique in Paris” and theater at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

In the late 1970’s he was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo, West Africa and went on to be Country Director in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Russia and Bulgaria. In 1994-1995 he was the interim pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Washington, DC. From 1989 - 1996 he worked for the State Department in the Executive Program Division and was training Senior Foreign Service Officers for their positions around the world. In 1996 he moved to Russia where he was the Director of the United States Peace Corps’ operations in Moscow and in Vladivostok.

He was appointed Country Director of Peace Corps Bulgaria in August of 2000 and remained there until his current position in the State Department’s prestigious Senior Seminar. In 2002 Steve became the Coordinator of The Senior Seminar in the Leadership and Management School at Foreign Service Institute.

He was a member of the ordained Clergy and was ordained in UFMCC Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches at the General Conference in 1999. His final posting with the U.S. Foreign Service was to China, where he served in the Human Resources office of U.S. Embassy Beijing.


[Bio from Saint Meinrad web site]