Navy Reserve Lt. Cmdr. Keith Taylor, 47, Irvine; Killed in Embassy Attack

Keith Edward Taylor had always felt at home in the Navy.

He enlisted straight out of high school in 1975, lured by his cousins’ exciting stories and the Navy’s promise to help pay for college. He rejoined as a Navy Reserve officer once he finished school, doing tours in Haiti, Bosnia and Kosovo.

When the 47-year-old lieutenant commander was called up for duty in Iraq in September, he was ready to serve. Recently, though, he eagerly counted the days until he could return home to his wife and 17-month-old daughter in Irvine.

Taylor told his wife, Diane, that this would be the last Thanksgiving and Christmas they had to spend apart.

Taylor was killed Jan. 29 in a rocket attack on the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad on the eve of Iraq’s elections, two months shy of his scheduled departure. A Defense Department civilian also was killed, and four other Americans were wounded. Taylor was assigned to the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Central Command, Iraq Detachment.

“We were both scared when he was going,” his wife said. “It was bittersweet for him -- he was sad to go, but he was eager to go and make a difference.”

Described by former supervisors as a hard worker who always got the job done, Taylor worked in the embassy as a chief contracting officer for transportation and communications, awarding and overseeing contracts to companies rebuilding Iraq’s infrastructure, such as road construction and maintenance.

Born in Tucson, Taylor was raised in Florida. He later majored in English at Cal State Long Beach and went to the University of Redlands for a master’s degree in business administration. He worked in a variety of jobs as a civilian, including overseeing contracts at McDonnell Douglas Corp. and UC Irvine.

But Taylor was most proud of being a father, his wife said. He always wore a smile and exuded a warm, outgoing personality and loved playing with his children.

“He was the absolute best husband,” his wife said. “He was absolutely a gentlemen among men, and I will miss him.”

In addition to his wife and daughter, Taylor is survived by his former wife, Leslie, and their two daughters, ages 13 and 10; his parents; and two siblings.

Private memorial services will be held Monday.