Douglas John Taggart was born to John and Lillian Taggart in Winner, SD on April 13, 1952.
Doug grew up on a farm outside of Winner with his sister Karen and brothers Jerry, Brad and Robert. Much has been whispered about his antics, but no one wants to come forward with hard facts on the wild days in Winner. I can confirm that he DID learn to play the accordion, because his aunt and uncle liked to dance to the polka. I know, right?! The accordion. Knock me down with a feather. He was also the undefeated boxing champ from Winner. He was 15 years old. It was one fight and then he hung up his professional boxing gloves for good……but it was sanctioned. So, we are going with Undefeated Boxing Champ.
Doug was world-renowned for his lack of patience or his endless patience (which one would you get today???), not holding back his opinion and telling it like it is. Doug always told you the truth, even if it wasn’t what you wanted to hear. It was the school of hard knocks, and yes, we were told many times how he had to walk for miles in a blizzard to get to school, so suck it up and life is tough all over kid, get used to it!
He married his main squeeze, Polly, a librarian, almost 50 years ago in Colstrip, Mont. They lived in Montana, Indiana and later returned to Montana so dad could hunt and fish. They spent many hours on a boat with fishing poles in their hands but much to Doug’s dismay, Polly could out fish him many times. Jennifer and Whitney (the daughters), cannot out fish either of them. Recently they moved to North Dakota to be near family and so dad could go back to his roots of farming, which he loved.
Doug taught us that family comes first, to get outside, and work hard…at what you love. Doug made the best sourdough treats, homemade pizza and cookies. Jennifer and Whitney also ended up with midnight snack addictions because of Doug. Many a night would pass with a knock on the door and a question – “Want an ice cream shake?” He also made sure that he had someone around to make his sweet treats, he taught Jennifer how to bake cookies each weekend. Why? So, he could have the cookies for a nighttime snack.
Jennifer married Kevin Norton and Whitney married David Gonitzke – in a stroke of amazing luck – Doug loved both of them.
Doug was Papa to Mackenzie, Aiden, Jules and Jane. Oh, how he loved the four of them. We don’t want say that he got soft as a Grandpa….but he got soft!! Those kids could do anything and get anything! He made sure his grandkids knew how to fish and that started at a young age. Papa was a huge history buff, this love of history was passed down to his grandson, Aiden, who is going to college to be a high school history teacher. He bragged about his grandkids to anyone that would listen!
Doug and his two best friends, Pat and Kelly, (the “Three Amigos”) hunted and fished for over 30 years together. After a while Doug decided that their friendship was strong enough to withstand anything…..so he included them into the Taggart Brothers Secret Circle. For years and years, the brothers circle would meet up at Uncle Jerry’s ranch house in Wyoming to fish, hunt, drink loads of beer. Who knows what lies and tall tales were told on those trips. Really – Guys, can’t you just tell us one little thing??
Doug traveled extensively and took us camping all the time. We went from tent, to a pickup box camper, then a 5th wheel camper– spoiling us girls forever. Never will Jennifer or Whitney tent camp again. Our love of the water likely came from the plethora of trips to rivers and lakes.
He is survived by his saint of a wife, Polly; children, Jennifer (Kevin) Norton, Whitney (David) Gonitzke; grandchildren, Mackenzie (Eric) Wineinger, Aiden Sothers, Jules and Jane Gonitzke; great-grandchild, baby Wineinger (coming in June); siblings Jerry (Janine) Taggart, Karen King, Brad (Linda Wilson) Taggart, Robert (Kim) Taggart and many, many nephews, nieces, cousins, family and friends.
Although we feel like we didn’t get enough Doug in our lives – we can remember that Doug did not live an average life. He traveled where he wanted to travel, laughed inappropriately at every chance, danced (especially the alligator) when the opportunity arose, learned what he wanted to learn, fixed what he wanted to fix, and loved who he wanted to love, and loved those people hard……..especially Polly.
Since Doug liked to do unusual things, he also ended up with cholangiocarcinoma – bile duct cancer. It’s rare and aggressive. Of course, that’s what he died from, he had to be unique. Doug went to heaven on Dec. 15, 2023.
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