Taylor Hobbs

Taylor William Hobbs, beloved father, son, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend, took his leave in the early hours of February 17th, 2025. He was 45 years old.

Taylor was born November 11th, 1979, in Salt Lake City to Victoria Gladden-Dahlk and Jeffery Allen Hobbs. His early years were spent in West Jordan with a brief stint in Enterprise, Utah, just doors away from grandparents and cousins whom Taylor enjoyed spending time with throughout his life.

In 1987, his family moved to a subdivision built by the family construction company, Hobbs and Sons, in South Jordan. Taylor was proud to tell everyone he grew up on Hobbs Drive. The antics Taylor, his siblings, and friends got up to on Hobbs Drive are the stuff of legends. To the neighbors he kept buzzing and entertained, Taylor would say, "you're welcome".

Taylor's personality was big, warm, welcoming, and best of all- hilarious. Ask any educator about having Taylor in their class and they'll tell you- he was one of the most loveable smart-alecks they knew. Younger siblings coming up through the same teachers were often told they had big shoes to fill. He kept teachers on their toes and chuckling until he graduated from Bingham High School in 1998.

With his big presence and stature, standing at 6'6", Taylor was dubbed "Too Tall" by Jr. High and the name stuck. While his appearance and swagger were intimidating, his heart held a very soft and protective spot for the "little guys". He never tolerated bullies and garnered thanks from parents whose kids Taylor stood up for on multiple occasions. Those with special needs and other kids who would otherwise be targeted for abuse never had to worry with Too Tall around. His younger siblings benefited most from his strong protective instinct; for all we ever had to do at the first sign of trouble was say, "do you even know who MY big brother is?" Problem solved. Taylor carried this protective instinct for family and loved ones throughout his life.

Taylor believed in service. Grandma needs her lawn mowed? He's on it. Mom needs her deck painted? Hand him a brush and he's off. Most of you reading this who knew Taylor can probably think of an odd job or project he happily volunteered to take care of for you. He was the kind of guy who was thankful for the opportunity to be the hero.

Taylor enjoyed most of all his time spent getting to be a father. With Brenda Smith, he had two beautiful children, Tayla and Brendan. With Jessica Wade, he had a little girl, Harper. Taylor's lifestyle, distance, and obligations made it heartbreakingly difficult for him to get the time he wanted with his children. He cherished and spoke often about the great times he's had of late- taking them for swimming lessons and fun at Snowbird and Facetiming his youngest at home in West Virginia.

Like any other soul on this earth, Taylor had his share of personal struggles. He remained resilient in the face of adversity and never lost his infectious positivity or sense of humor. Taylor never stopped trying and had made many great strides. The last two years of Taylor's life were met with wonderful achievements; he'd gone to school, obtained his CDL, and was enjoying his new career as a long-haul commercial truck driver. What a bright new life he was building for himself, making his abrupt departure all the more heartbreaking to bear.

Taylor leaves behind his children Tayla, Brendan, and Harper; mother Victoria, his fiercest advocate, and stepfather Claude; father Jeffery; siblings Jason King (Anjanette), Sunni Hobbs-McKinney (Larry), and Jeffery Hobbs; nieces and nephews Dominic, Kennedy, and Victoria; many aunts, uncles, and cousins; and even more close and loyal friends.

Taylor had an unbreakable bond with his youngest brother, Nathan, who struggled with mental illness. Taylor cared for Nathan unconditionally and kept an ever-watchful eye on him until Nathan's untimely death in 2015. We are comforted to imagine what a beautiful reunion that must've been.

Taylor also reunites with his Grandparents Pauline and George Hobbs, Darlene and Boyd Nielsen; Uncle Ed and Aunt Kathleen Peiper; cousins Levi Hobbs and Jessi Jensen; and his late stepfather, Scott Gladden.

We are going to deeply miss the hearty laughs and "easy like Sunday morning" energy you brought everywhere you went, Taylor. We love you always, catch up with you soon.

Services for Taylor will be Wednesday, February 26th, 2025, at 11:00 am at McDougal Funeral Home, located at 4330 South Redwood Road in Taylorsville, Utah. Light refreshments will be served after services, followed by a burial dedication at Wasatch Lawn Memorial.