James W. Taylor, 77, died at his home in Henderson, Nev., on July 18, 2007, after a long and valiant fight against prostate cancer. He was born Nov. 18, 1929, into a large family in Elk, Wash. Jim graduated high school from Ritzville, Wash., in 1947.

It was in Ritzville working for Robert Templin that he found his great love and passion for the restaurant industry. Jim opened his first restaurant in Seattle in 1970. Jim also worked for both Smitty's Pancake House and Perkins Family restaurant, both of which were franchise companies. Returning to his first love of operating a restaurant, Jim moved his family to Kalispell in 1977, where he was the owner and operator of Finnegan's located in Kalispell, Missoula and Bozeman.

Jim retired in 1989, moving to "sun country" where he enjoyed making new friends, golfing, reading voraciously, doing crosswords, going out for his daily coffee and always critiquing restaurants he visited.

Jim is survived by his beloved wife of 41 years, Judy; daughter, Patti Jo Barber of Las Vegas; sons, Jim P. Taylor and Duffy Taylor, both of Coeur d'Alene and Robert Lowry of Hayden, Idaho; sisters, Verna Jackson of Everett, Wash., Lucille Allen of Spokane, and Lorena Hawkins of Sandpoint, Idaho; brothers, Wally Taylor of Seattle and Bill Taylor or Tulsa, Okla.; stepson, Kevin Alexander of Tucson, Ariz.; and seven grandchildren.

The memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. at the Palm Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89423, (702)464-8500.

Donations in his memory may be made to Nathan Adelson Hospice, 4141 Swenson St., Las Vegas, NV 89119, (702)733-0320.