- Date Of Birth: September 26, 1980
- Date Of Death: April 25, 2018
- State: Arizona
William Taber Preston, 37, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Taber was preceded in death by his grandparents, Philip and Phyllis Taber and Ross and Doris Preston. He is survived by his parents, Bill and Ann Preston, his sister Sarah, her fiancé Jacob Paulk, numerous loving aunts, uncles, and cousins, and an extended family of wonderful friends including Robin Bull, Taber’s partner.
Taber was born on September 26, 1980 in Flagstaff, Az. He attended Marshall Elementary School, Flagstaff Junior High School, and graduated from Flagstaff High School in 1999. He moved to Tucson to attend College and this is where he ultimately found his best four-legged friend, “Blue”. An avid sports fan and participant, Taber played organized baseball and club basketball. Along with his teammates, he logged many miles over the Navajo reservation participating in weekend tournaments. He played enough basketball while in high school to earn a cherished nickname from his friends who dubbed him “T-Bird” or just plain “Bird”– purportedly because his play resembled that of a well-known NBA star at that time (his father thinks that might have been a stretch). Taber was a lifelong fan of U of A basketball and was a walking encyclopedia of information concerning the Wildcats. Over the past several years Taber became an avid golfer and was a member of the Aspen Valley Golf Club. He loved his time with the “guys” at Aspen. He excelled at golf and quickly carried a single-digit handicap. He was getting his swing back and hitting the ball a mile the last couple of times he played. Taber loved to fish. He especially liked the fishing from the “point” close to the Taber family cabin in Puerto Penasco. The cabin was probably his favorite place in the world—fish at high tide and play beach golf during low tide.
For the last decade, Taber managed The “Y” Chevron and Liquors, at the intersection of Milton Rd. and Rt. 66. He took pride in trying to do the best job possible at the Y for the benefit of the family business. He was a people person and very good at his job in retail management. He cared deeply for his employees at “the Chev”.
Taber’s passing leaves a huge void in the lives of those who knew and loved him. He never met a stranger. His unwavering loyalty, his infectious smile, and BESTEST hugs will be greatly missed.
