Finding a Long Lost Love

Maggie asked

My name is Maggie and I writing this on behalf of a friend of mine, Ramona. She is 79 yrs old. She has been trying to find this Merchant Marine, whom she dated and always regarded him as 'her first' love. This was back in the mid 1940's. She since married, had a family and they are all grown and she is widowed now. After Ramona's mother died, she found many letters that she had written to Sgt. Taylor, but her mother did not mail them. She hid them in a trunk.... Sad story. (What could have been???) Anyway, here is all the information Ramona has given to me thus far:

Sgt. Earl Lloyd Taylor
Lived in possibly Woodland, CA or Oakland, CA
High School, Oakland, CA 1945-46?
Went into Reg Marines
Musterd (sp?) out in S.F., CA
Camp Lejeune
Korea
Sgt. Taylor would be 80-81 yrs old at present, if still alive.

This is my last search to try and find Sgt. Taylor. Your help would be so very much appreciated. I would love to let Ramona know something soon if there is any information at all.

Olive Tree Answer: Hi Maggie. I can certainly understand Ramona's wish to find her old friend but it may be difficult. There are places you can look on her behalf - such as the SSDI (Social Security Death Index) and Newspaper Obituaries for any hint of Earl's death. You might also try Intellius or one of the other People Search websites.

I did have a little peek and found a death record on
Ancestry.com that might be his

California Death Index, 1940-1997
Name: Earl Lloyd Taylor
Social Security #: 571304108
Birth Date: 11 Feb 1928
Birthplace: Oklahoma
Death Date: 21 Jul 1993
Death Place: Shasta
Mother's Maiden Name: Long

You can see that Earl's year of birth fits with the age Ramona gave you. The SSDI showed that Earl's last Residence was 94589 Vallejo, Solano, California. I also found a birth notice on NewspaperARCHIVE.com in The Press-Courier for Oxnard California which may or may not be the man you want, but the mention of Vallejo made me take notice

Birth. The 6th child of Mr & Mrs. Earl Lloyd Taylor, 311 West Dempsey Rd, Oxnard born January 1964 - Cody Kinkaid. Siblings Ronald, Linda, Beverley, howard, Kelly. Grandparents are Mr & Mrs Earl Rodgers of Vallejo

Perhaps if you track down one or more of the children listed, you can determine if this is the correct Earl Lloyd Taylor. I hope Ramona finds Earl alive and well but I kind of have a feeling that may not be the case.