A memorial service is scheduled for 11 am Friday, October 9 at First Methodist Church for Clovis Dale Taylor of Artesia, New Mexico.

Clovis "Dale" Taylor was born in Artesia, NM in 1947 to Clovis Alfred "Fat" Taylor and Beulah Taylor. He entered the gates with thanksgiving in his heart and the courts with praise and worship on October 2, 2026. He grew up in the Cottonwood area and attended Cottonwood school and Atoka school, and graduated from Artesia High School in 1966. He met and married his wife, Penny Fry, when she moved with her family from California to Artesia. After graduation and marriage, he joined the Air Force Reserves working as a surgical tech. He sold and moved mobile homes in Silver City, Roswell, and Ruidoso before returning to the Cottonwood area to build the family farm. Through the years he farmed with his brother and father and grew cotton, alfalfa hay, chile, cucumbers, watermelons, and sugar beets. He was a volunteer fireman for the Cottonwood Fire Dept., a member and Worshipful Master for the Artesia Masonic Temple, a member of the Artesia BPOE, a member of the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau where he served on several state and national boards, and a Soil Conservation board member. After retiring from full-time farming, he and Penny opened and ran the Cottonwood Winery. Dale was a member of First Methodist Church for over 50 years playing bass for the Praise Band. He was also a member of the Methodist Men's Prayer group. Dale and Penny had two children, Netta and Colby.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Arnold Taylor, his mother and father-in-law, Wayne and Margaret Bellon, his brother-in-law Bill Blevins, his brother-in-law Steve Davis, and niece Darrah Fry.

He is survived by his wife Penny, sister Barbara Davis, sisters-in-law Verna Taylor and Bev Blevins, brother-in-law Tom Fry and wife Sheila, daughter Netta Null and husband John Ross Null, son Colby Taylor and wife Shelli. He is also survived by granddaughters Kyla Johnston and husband Stuart, Tori Sillas, Laci Taylor, and Makinli Knowlton and husband Wesley, grandson Taylor Null and wife Chloe, 7 and soon to be 8 great grandkids, and many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

Dale was always there to lift your spirits or offer a helping hand. He was a warm and kind man. He never met a stranger, constantly had a joke on his lips, and was always ready to give a hug.

Honorary pallbearers are nephews Andy Davis, Brian Taylor, Scott Taylor, and Michael Blevins, nephew-in-law Andrew Calhoun, grandson Taylor Null, great nephews Trent and Nathan Taylor, Grandsons-in-law Stuart Johnston and Wesley Knowlton, life-long friends Bob Mayberry and Carl Wilson, and adopted grandson and trainee Ike Huskey,

Memorial donations can be made in honor of Dale to Shriner's Children's Hospital or First Methodist Church Artesia praise band fund.