Paul Taylor, the co-publisher of Route 66 Magazine with his wife Sandi for almost 30 years, died Thursday morning.
No cause of death was reported, but Taylor’s passing was confirmed by several state Route 66 associations and a close friend who emailed Route 66 News.
The Taylors’ quarterly publication was a pioneer in the renaissance of Route 66 after the highway was federally decertified during the 1980s.
I found this image of Paul (right) from about six years ago:
Paul and Sandi Taylor launched Route 66 Magazine in December 1993 from Laughlin, Nevada. They moved to Williams, Arizona, about three years later and opened a gift shop amid the magazine’s publishing offices.
The magazine sponsored Route 66 festivals in Texas and New Mexico, and satellite stores once were established on The Mother Road in Texas and Oklahoma.
The Taylors also appeared among the production credits of Disney/Pixar’s Route 66-inspired “Cars” animated movie, released in June 2006.
The Taylors and Route 66 Magazine eventually moved to Florida in 2009 to stay. According to the magazine’s masthead, it was based in Port Richey.
During a 2006 interview with Dave Dunaway that’s been archived by the National Park Service, Paul Taylor said he was born in 1931 in central Illinois, near Springfield.
His father, a grocer, traveled Route 66 a lot, and Paul had a sister who lived in the Route 66 town of Joliet. Later, when Paul joined the Navy and hitchhiked the Mother Road many times.
Taylor and his wife, Sandi, eventually launched Frontier Chronicles magazine.
“During the time we were publishing that, Sandi had suggested that we start another publication on Route 66 because we traveled Route 66 so much. We traveled the desert Southwest and the Midwestern area for about five years while I was freelance writing.
“Started publishing Route 66 Magazine, with 200 subscribers. It is now 50,000 on the newsstand and 8,000 subscribers. It’s an international publication and we’re in our 15th year. Actually, it was a retirement project that got out of hand. It’s really been a very nice publication for us. It’s been very good to us. That’s about where I am right now.”
We’ll have more about Paul Taylor’s services when we get it.
(Image of the main masthead for Route 66 Magazine)
Condoleances
Un fidele lecteur français
I met Paul an Sandii in 1997 when they were in Williams, , we enjoyed a very good visit with them, Paul will be missed greatly , my deepest sympathies and condelences
Does anyone have an obituary for Paul? If so please email me at etchr@sbccglobal.net thanks Rick Etchells. I do the index for Route 66 magazine
Thank you Paul Taylor for your dedication to keeping Route 66 alive all those years. Wonderful work you did. Rest in peace. My condolences to Paul’s family.
So very sad to hear of Paul Taylor’s death. I was just thinking I had not been receiving the magazine and had resubscribed. When I saw this on Google it made me very sad. I have so enjoyed reading Route 66 Magazine for many years. I will always cherish the wonderful articles. Thank you Paul and Sandi! May God rest your soul Paul!
OMG…..so sorry to hear of Paul’s death. Thanks to Sandi and everyone for putting out an outstanding magazxine for many years. I have traveled Route 66 onmy Harley three times and always had the magazxine with me. Condolences to the family…..thanks again.