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Last night I attended a pot luck holiday dinner for my wife's church group. At one point the conversation got around to flying, and a young women, Rhonda Malone, I'd just met said: "Do you know what a Piper Cup is? Well, my grand uncle designed the original one". So I naturally asked "Who was your grand uncle?". And she repled "Gilbert Taylor".
So I talked about my Taylorcraft and mentioned I'd been at the fly-in at Alliance last year. From there she went on to tell me her story.
Rhonda was born in Alliance and lived there with her parents until she left for college. Her mom is Roberta Borradaile Malone. Her mom and dad lived in Alliance through the 1980's when they moved to Boca Raton. Roberta and her best friend, Thelma, often went flying in Taylorcrafts around Alliance.
Her mom's parents were William and Marjorie Borradaile. William both worked for C.G. at the factory and considered him his best friend. C.G's wife, Jo, was Marjorie's best fried -- which was how they met. William did not have much of a family, so C.G. "adopted" him as a brother. William and Marjorie lived in a small house next door to the Taylor's house in Alliance.
Rhonda's family always referred to C.G. as "Uncle Gilbert". They all have fond memories of the Taylors and Taylorcrafts. She thinks she has some early photos of her grandparents and the Taylors she can scan and send me. If so, I'll post them here.
I sent Rhonda some photos of the 2008 Alliance fly-in.
Her parents will soon be celebrating their 60th anniversary, and her mom her 80th birthday. She has been looking for a model of a Taylorcraft to give them. I found some RC scale models on the web, but no non-flying models -- does anyone know where to find any?
I also gave her Chet Peek's web site -- I think she will also give them Chet's book.
So I talked about my Taylorcraft and mentioned I'd been at the fly-in at Alliance last year. From there she went on to tell me her story.
Rhonda was born in Alliance and lived there with her parents until she left for college. Her mom is Roberta Borradaile Malone. Her mom and dad lived in Alliance through the 1980's when they moved to Boca Raton. Roberta and her best friend, Thelma, often went flying in Taylorcrafts around Alliance.
Her mom's parents were William and Marjorie Borradaile. William both worked for C.G. at the factory and considered him his best friend. C.G's wife, Jo, was Marjorie's best fried -- which was how they met. William did not have much of a family, so C.G. "adopted" him as a brother. William and Marjorie lived in a small house next door to the Taylor's house in Alliance.
Rhonda's family always referred to C.G. as "Uncle Gilbert". They all have fond memories of the Taylors and Taylorcrafts. She thinks she has some early photos of her grandparents and the Taylors she can scan and send me. If so, I'll post them here.
I sent Rhonda some photos of the 2008 Alliance fly-in.
Her parents will soon be celebrating their 60th anniversary, and her mom her 80th birthday. She has been looking for a model of a Taylorcraft to give them. I found some RC scale models on the web, but no non-flying models -- does anyone know where to find any?
I also gave her Chet Peek's web site -- I think she will also give them Chet's book.
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