Dennis Taylor, 68, of Walworth, WI, formerly of Blue River, WI and Muscoda, WI passed away March 31, 2019 in Wauwatosa, WI with his family. Born October 3, 1950 in Blue River, WI to Gale and Trudy Taylor. After graduating from Riverdale High School in 1968, Denny attended the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. Upon graduation from UW-Platteville, Denny worked several years for Wick Homes and traveled all over the Midwest building new homes. In 1983, Denny married the love of his life, Ruth, and they moved to Walworth, WI where he had his own carpentry business. When Denny was growing up, the Taylor family owned a turkey farm just outside of Muscoda and they were also very heavily involved with horse showing, but Denny’s real passion was trapshooting. Denny started trapshooting in 1970 at the Muscoda Sportsman’s Club. While attending UW-Platteville in 1972, he won Class A at the ACUI National Collegiate Trapshooting Championships and was asked to participate in the Olympic Trapshooting tryouts later that summer. During the next year in 1973, Denny made his first trip to the Grand American (Vandalia, OH) with Virgil Bomkamp and Norbert Hippenbecker, all from Muscoda, and subsequently won the Grand American Handicap World Championship with a score of 99×100. Denny was the first person from Wisconsin to win the GAH Championship in 56 years. Over the course of his long shooting career, Denny was also very active member of the Muscoda Sportsman’s Club serving as its President from 1975 to 1985. Denny was also very passionate about the Wisconsin Trapshooting Association and served on its Board of Directors, off and on, for over 5 decades. Denny was very instrumental in helping to make the new WTA Home Grounds in Rome, WI a reality. Denny was inducted into the Muscoda Sportsman’s Club Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Wisconsin Trapshooting Association’s Hall of Fame in 2013. In addition to being a great shooter and ambassador for the sport of trapshooting, Denny also loved to hunt, watch the Packers/Brewers and travel with his wife Ruth. Denny’s enthusiasm, laughter and love of life was contagious for all around him. Dennis was preceded in death by his father Gale, and is survived by his wife Ruth, mother Trudy of Muscoda, brother Jerry (Laurene) of Mukwonago, brother Jack (Kay) of Lone Rock, and nephews & nieces as well as many friends. Per Denny’s wishes, there will be no service held but rather a celebration of life at the Muscoda Sportsman’s Club on Saturday, May 11, 2019 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Condolences or donations may be made to the Muscoda Sportsman’s Club or the Wisconsin Trapshooting Association.
