Obituary published in The Oklahoman, January 4, 2000
Richard George Taft, age 86, died December 31, 1999, in Norman, Oklahoma. Mr. Taft was born March 13, 1913 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to George and Wilhemina (Voight) Taft. He grew up in Garber, Oklahoma. In 1935 he received a Bachelor of Science degree, and in 1940 a Law degree, from the University of Oklahoma. He was also a Certified Public Accountant.
From the time of his admittance to the Oklahoma Bar Association in 1940, Mr. Taft practiced law in Oklahoma until his recent retirement. He was associated with the firms Campbell, Randolph, Mahin & Mosteller (1940-41), Mosteller and McElroy (1946-48), and Billups, Wood, and Champlin C.P.A.s (1948-51). From 1941-45 he served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force. In 1951 Mr. Taft co-founded the law firm of McAfee and Taft. In 1998 he received the Journal Record Award for outstanding service to the legal profession in Oklahoma. He was chairman of the Oklahoma Board of Corrections from 1967-69, and served for many years as a trustee of the Presbyterian Health Foundation in Oklahoma City. He was a member of the selection committee for Dean of the University of Oklahoma School of Law. Mr. Taft had also been a trustee of the Oklahoma County Medical Society Community Fund, the Board of Visitors for the University of Oklahoma, and the Advisory Board of the Law Center. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta, past member of the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club, and a former president of the Beacon Club.
Mr. Taft was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Dr. Richard George Taft, Jr., his first wife Pauline Joyner, his sister Dorothy Taft Garner, and his brothers William and Harold. He is survived by his wife, Louise Holmberg Taft, his daughter Jamy Crawford Coulson of Boulder, Colorado, and his granddaughters Dawn Louise Judd and Signy Holmberg Judd of San Francisco, California. A memorial service is scheduled for Thursday, January 6 at 3:00 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Norman, Oklahoma.
Contributions may be made to the McAfee Taft Foundation, which benefits the University of Oklahoma Law School and various charities, and may be sent to: Tenth floor, Two Leadership Square, 211 North Robinson, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102.