A memorial service was Aug. 4 at the Palm Mortuary in Las Vegas for former Elk resident James W. Taylor, 77, who died on July 18 in his Henderson, Nev., home.

 Born Nov. 18, 1929, in Elk, he graduated from Ritzville High School and later worked in the restaurant industry.

He opened his first restaurant in Seattle in 1970. He later worked for Smitty’s Pancake House and Perkins Family Restaurant. Mr. Taylor eventually opened and operated Finnegan’s in Kalispel, Mont., and Bozeman, Mont., in the late 1970s. He retired in 1989.

Mr. Taylor enjoyed golf, reading and doing crossword puzzles.

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