Bill Taylor

Bill, the eldest of three boys, was born in Wakefield where he was educated at Thorne's House Grammar School. His interest in dairy farming took him to the Lancashire College of Agriculture on a scholarship. Before taking up his place, he had to complete a year's practical work which he did on a farm near Huddersfield. Here he had first-hand experience of early-morning milking, bottling, doorstep deliveries, cleaning and checking the plant, and care of the cows.

After obtaining his Lancashire diploma in dairying, he went to Reading University for the national dairying diploma.

National Service came next, part of it with the Royal Tank Corps and part with intelligence in Germany.

As a result of his military service, he joined the Royal British Legion, becoming an active member of his local branch.

His first job after being demobbed was with Express Dairies in Wakefield, operating the bottle-washing machine before becoming assistant manager.

His stay in Wakefield was quite brief, but still with Express Dairies he became assistant manager at a large dairy – known locally as Dobson's – in Manchester. It was in Manchester that he met Audrey Coulborn. They were married in 1961 and moved to Dewsbury when Bill was transferred there to work at Spen Valley Dairies which had just been acquired by Express Dairies.

Its main business was the bottling of sterilised milk. However, Express was keen to develop new products, and Bill was given the task of setting up a yoghurt plant. Yoghurt at the time was bland, and Bill developed the idea of adding fruit flavours, now so common.

In Dewsbury, he and Audrey had a son, Andrew. The family left Yorkshire when Bill was recruited by the Milk Marketing Board to be technical development manager at its Dorset dairy.

He often had to be away on business, and that coupled with Audrey's failing heath, encouraged him to change jobs. Consequently, he was appointed dairy manager for Yorkshire Creamery, the Milk Marketing Board dairy with creameries in Hawes, Masham and Kirkby Malzeard, where he and his family made their home in 1967.

It was in this time that Bill with some other parents founded the 1st Highside Scout Group, being one of their first leaders.

Its first camp was at Markington during a very cold spell in May. So cold, indeed, that the gas froze in its bottle. Bill sent the scouts on a cross-country run while he thawed it out, managing to produce a cooked breakfast at lunch time.

Bill suffered a personal tragedy when Audrey died aged 39.

He was married again – to Margaret Thwaites whose sister was a near neighbour.

Bill then became very much involved in village life as a parish councillor and helping to organise the village flower show. He was a keen gardener and the pinnacle of his gardening career was when he won a gold medal for his chrysanthemums at the Pateley Bridge show. He also enjoyed fishing, either sea or river bank.

In 1986 the Milk Marketing Board, now re-branded as Dairy Crest, announced the closure of the Kirkby Malzeard creamery, having already shut down its operations at Masham.

The closure would have dealt a severe blow to the local economy, but to avert this, Bill headed a management buy-out.

Someone who knew him well said that he "worked his socks off' in that very difficult and fraught time.

Not only did he and his team rescue the business. but his expertise and experience enabled them to revive Coverdale cheeses and introduce the acclaimed Fountains Gold.

Margaret died after a short illness in 1997, and Bill married June Birbeck, his third wife, in 2000.

He had joined Ripon Rotary Club in 1988, and having held other offices and played an energetic part in its extensive community and charity work, he was President in 2001.

A man of integrity who spoke plainly about matters if they were not satisfactory, Bill had a warmth which earned him affection, while his fair-mindedness won him respect.

He is survived by June, his son Andrew, grandchildren, Louise and Jack and stepchildren Andrew and Susan.