Obituary of Ernest Arthur Taylor

Ernest A. Taylor, 72, of Simi Valley and Pine Mountain Club, CA passed away on March 2, 2023. Visitation will be held at Rose Family Funeral Home in Simi Valley on Wednesday, March 8, from 4:00-5:00 p.m. A Celebration of Life Lunch Reception gathering will be held on Wednesday March 29, 2023 from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Burbank Elks Lodge #1497, 2232 N. Hollywood Way, Burbank, Ca. The Graveside service will follow at 3:30 p.m. at Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills 6300 Forest Lawn Dr, Los Angeles, Ca (across from Warner Bros. Studios). Ernie was born in Pontiac, Michigan to the late Harry and Lillian Taylor on November 18, 1950. The family moved to California in 1959. He proudly served in the United States Army from 1970-1972, spending the entire year of 1971 in Vietnam. He was the Crew Chief and door gunner on a Huey UH-1H helicopter for the Commanding General of the Mekong Delta. Ernie always took great pride in his work and regularly polished and waxed that ENTIRE helicopter! His career as a professional driver began in 1979 when he became a tram driver at Universal Studios Tours, where he met his future wife Patricia (née Balink) in 1982. Ernie spent most of his career, thereafter, at Warner Bros. Studios as the set construction driver for such popular television shows as "Friends." "The Big Bang Theory," and "Two and a Half Men." Additionally, Ernie enjoyed a cameo appearance, as Jake's school bus driver, on an episode of "Two and a Half Men." Throughout his career he was a proud member of Teamsters Local 399. During a lull in studio work, Ernie also drove for Rocketdyne, supporting NASA’s Space Shuttle program. Away from his studio work, a job which he loved, he enjoyed sharing his knowledge and love of motorcycles and muscle cars with other enthusiasts and developed numerous lasting friendships throughout the years. Ernie is survived by his loving wife Patricia (Pat, married since 1989), their two 4-legged sons (Shelties Indy and R/T); his brother, Kiffen (Monique), their son and two daughters of Newbury Park, CA; his sister-in-law, CAPT Linda J. Balink-White, USN (ret) of Pensacola, FL; and his brother-in-law, Bob (Adele) Balink of Colorado Springs, CO.

Memorial donations may be made to: The Gary Sinese Foundation; The Motion Picture & Television Fund; or the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.