David Taggart

David Taggart treated everyone who was involved with the Slippery Rock Volunteer Fire Company and Rescue Team like they were a part of his immediate family.

Despite battling an extended illness throughout his final years, his fervor for helping the community thrive never faded away. During his 48 years at the local department, he served as president, secretary, lieutenant, captain, assistant chief and, most notably, fire chief for 16 years.

“He really rallied this department around having a family atmosphere,” said Kurt Reasner, president and assistant chief, who first met Taggart in 2012. “You always hear stories about local volunteer fire departments being just one big dysfunctional family. We truly were and still are.”

Taggart died on Sunday, Dec. 8, at the Good Samaritan Hospice in Wexford at the age of 74.

Taggart, born in Grove City on March 28, 1950, graduated from Slippery Rock High School in 1968 and earned an associate degree from Butler County Community College in 1971 before going on to attend Slippery Rock University.

He worked as a union carpenter before retiring from Rien Construction, a company based out of Brookfield Center, Ohio. Taggart was also an elder and member of Slippery Rock’s Highland Church, where he served as a trustee.

Following his official retirement as fire chief nearly a decade ago, he remained in charge of buildings and grounds as a dedicated member of the department’s board of directors.

“The grass was cut, the garbage was taken out and the bathrooms were cleaned,” said Slippery Rock fire Chief Ryan Hanchosky, who had known Taggart since 2015. “He was down there pretty much every day doing those tasks. He was still very active in the fire service.”

Both Reasner and Hanchosky said Taggart welcomed them into his family and guided them as they moved up the ranks.

“We started out in the fire department learning from Dave, and we both progressed through the fire service with him here with us,” Hanchosky said. “Now I’m fire chief and Kurt’s assistant chief and president. We kind of fell into Dave’s roles throughout the years.”

Reasner also praised Taggart’s work ethic, explaining that it rubbed off on a many young firefighters who looked up to him.

“He was a strong leader and expected us to work hard,” Reasner said. “He really built a foundation for a hard work ethic from all of his guys.”

He went on to say that Taggart ensured his team had advanced training for fighting fires, not stopping at “the basics.”

“He was one of our biggest role models who both Kurt and I looked up to,” Hanchosky said.

According to Taggart’s obituary, a celebration of life service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at Highland Presbyterian Church.