Taylor Knight Brugman

Taylor Knight Brugman, of Brimley, Michigan, passed away peacefully on December 11, 2017 at Hiland Cottage hospice in Petoskey after a short battle with cancer. He was born in Mineola, NY on May 8, 1953 to George and Helen (Knight) Brugman. He is survived by his wife of 15 years, Elisabeth; his sister, Martha McLeod (Alan Drinan), of Enfield, Connecticut; sister-in-law Deb Brugman of Brimley; brother-in-law Hugh Staples of Cincinnati, Ohio; nephews Brett Nees of Lafayette, Indiana and Casey Nees (Deana Cunningham) of Roxboro, North Carolina; nieces Jennifer DiBuccio (Anthony) of Richmond, Virginia, Danna Brugman of Brimley, Jaclyn LeBlanc Anderson (Kristine T. Bennett) of Egmont, British Columbia, and Lauren LeBlanc of Brimley; special step-nieces Maxx McLeod Anderson (Steve) of Sault Ste. Marie, Kathleen (Ken) Pawlanta of Fredric, Kelly Donnelly of Brimley, Audrey (Mike) Breakie and Shelly (Steve) Morris of Bay Mills; many grand-nephews and grand-nieces; and many friends. His parents and his brother George predeceased him. Taylor graduated from John Jay High School in Hopewell Junction, NY, earned a certificate of floral design in Waterbury, Connecticut, and was the owner of Spy Hill Florists in Beacon, NY. He also worked as a florist in New York in Hopewell Junction, Kingston and New York City. Taylor loved American classic cars, a love he shared with his father and brother. He owned many over his lifetime and had an encyclopedic knowledge of many more. He greatly enjoyed participating in online groups devoted to Honda Insight, Kaiser, and Willys cars, and had online friends from around the world who shared this passion. Taylor was also passionate about music, recording, and community theatre. Taylor designed lights and sound for concerts and theatrical performances in upstate New York, the Poconos, and Sault Ste. Marie. He helped convert a movie theatre in Wappingers Falls, NY to the County Players Falls Theatre and served on that community theatre group's Board of Directors. He formed KMA Records with the lead singer of Ralph, a band from Moscow, Pennsylvania. Taylor was the Kewadin Casino's first Entertainment Director and brought such artists as Tammy Wynette, Chubby Checker, and Bill Miller to that venue. An enthusiastic supporter of the Soo Theatre's restoration, a former Soo Theatre Project Board member, and its longtime Technical Director, Taylor installed, designed, and operated lights and sound for the Theatre since its re-opening in 2005. He was instrumental in moving and installing the large donation of equipment from the Mackinaw Theater when it closed in 2006. He owned Lake Street Studio, a full-service audio recording studio at his home in Brimley, as well as the Borderland Records record company. Through the studio he helped bring about two projects of special local historical interest, a CD of music about the life of John Johnston and an audiobook about the American Café read by its author. In the studio, he helped many express their special gifts and preserve their musical memories. He was also the founding President of the Soo Film Festival, a nonprofit group with a mission of bringing movies back to downtown Sault Ste. Marie. In everything he did, he loved to work behind the scenes to make things better and help others shine. Donations in Taylor's memory may be made to the Soo Theatre Project, 534 Ashmun Street, in Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783. A public gathering in his memory will be held in the spring at the Soo Theatre.

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Taylor Knight Brugman

May 8, 1953 - December 11, 2017