Taos Mountain Outfitters' Bill Gaydosh Passes

Bill Gaydosh was always a friendly face at Taos Mountain Outfitters (TMO).

I met him only a few times, but his warmth and interest in the outdoors shone through at every turn, with every subject we chatted about.

He passed away June 2.

Bill and his wife Karen bought Taos Mountain Outfitters in 2016. They then added two additional locations: Red River, NM, and Canyon, TX, near Amarillo. In a previous life, both Bill and Karen had worked in the energy industry—nuclear waste to be precise. TMO was the culmination of a longtime love of the outdoors.

Born in 1964 to Bernard and Patricia Gaydosh, Bill grew up primarily in Wichita Falls, Texas. He graduated from Midwestern State University, then later received a master’s degree from Sangamon State University in Springfield, Illinois, where he started his career in the nuclear field.

After graduate school he started working for Westinghouse at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad, New Mexico, where he met his wife, Karen. Bill and Karen went on to work at various Department of Energy sites around the country until Bill decided to start a new career in 2016—and move to Taos.

Bill considered his team's family and cared deeply for each and every member of his staff.

On social media, staffers at TMO wrote, "Bill cherished every moment spent at the store, helping countless adventurers gear up for their next journey. His passion for the outdoors and his kindness will be missed by all. We find solace in knowing he is now reunited with Daisy, our shop dog and his best friend, on their greatest adventure yet."