The collective community of Michigan's Great Southwest has lost two long time, retired public servants in a single day, and both made their mark in the area for years…and each loved to soar at high speed…one as a part of his profession, the other as a first rate hobby. Both now have slipped the surly bonds of earth…and danced the skies…to touch the face of God.
Word has reached our newsroom that retired Chief Judge of the Unified Court of Berrien County Ron Taylor has died at the Hanson Hospice Center in Stevensville, and retired St. Joseph Fire Chief Al Todd has died as well. Both men touched countless lives in many ways over the course of several decades and are being mourned by all who knew them.
Taylor's work transcended multiple boundaries thanks to his role as a Consultant for numerous justice agencies including the National Center for State Courts, the U.S. Department of Justice, the National Center for Prosecution Management, and the Justice Management Institute. In the role of consultant, Judge Taylor was involved in numerous domestic and international court improvement and judicial education projects regarding court administrative matters.
He also served as Director of the Administration of Justice Support Project in Cairo, Egypt, was a consultant on judicial reform to the Republic of Eritrea, Africa, and also worked in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo.
Prior to serving as a consultant, we were fortunate to have his expertise here on the home front where he served as a consultant and Chief Judge of the Second Circuit of Michigan, two terms as an elected Judge of the Circuit, three successive terms as Chief Judge of the Fifth Judicial District Court, was elected as the Berrien County Prosecuting Attorney and also served as a private attorney.
In his domestic roles, Judge Taylor established the Judicial Council for All Berrien County Courts, established one of the first Drug Courts, conducted a pilot project to evaluate video technology in courts, and conducted separate pilot projects in both criminal and civil differentiated case management. He also lectured and developed presentations related to court and caseload management topics throughout the nation and was a Senior Fellow at American University Office of Justice Programs in Washington, D.C.
From 2007 to 2008 Ron developed curriculum and lectured on judicial and administrative topics related to court administration and case management in France, Italy and Germany under the auspices of the European Union.
Taylor was a graduate of Western Michigan University and the Law School at Wayne State University. He was an avid sports car racing aficionado, and a prolific racer in his own right. Ron would have turned 80 in three weeks, dying this week at the age of 79. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Starks & Menchinger Chapel in St. Joseph.
Firefighting colleagues from the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1670 were the first to share word of Al Todd's passing this morning. Al had been the St. Joseph City Fire Chief from 2009 to 2012, appointed by former St. Joseph City Manager Frank Walsh. Al had also worked for and retired from the Benton Harbor City Fire Department in the late 1960s and early 70s before launching his own business, Twin City Fire Extinguisher Sales & Service from 1973 to 1992.
Al was perhaps best known by the business community in the region for his aerial photography business and his flight school based at Southwest Michigan Regional Airport. He launched his high-flying aerial career as a mechanic and skydiver with the United States Air Force from 1963 to 1967. Following his discharge from active military duty he wanted desparately to fly, but couldn't afford it and that's when he entered public service as a Benton Harbor Fire Fighter.
Friends say that Al's interest in flying was sparked again in the early 1980s and he later joined the Experimental Aircraft Assocation in Watervliet in '86 and went on to serve as the EAA Watervliet Chapter's President for half a dozen years from 1988 to 1994.
After another career in Real Estate and the Mortgage Broker business for about 12 years, Al concentrated on the aerial photography and flight school projects from his office at the airport in Benton Harbor, where he also helped broker the buying & selling or aircraft at the terminal. He later served as Lincoln Charter Township's representative on the Southwest Michigan Regional Airport Authority Board and was a long time hobby member of the local Taildraggers Flying Club where he served as the maintenance officer. So far, I have been unsuccessful in determining who will handle Al's celebration of life events.
Both men had a tremendous sense of humor and a seemingly perpetual smile on their face. Al's highway was the skyway, while the more grounded Taylor loved the asphalt raceway. Each will be deeply missed by family, friends, colleagues and fellow public servants who knew them and respected the work they did on behalf of all of us.
Formal obituaries are still pending for both men, but I wanted everyone to know about our collective loss before you get wrapped up in the trappings of a holiday weekend. I wish godspeed to the familes of both Ron and Al, and hope you will keep them in your thoughts.
