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Cigarette keepsakes ignite man's passion 

Taylor, 71, started collecting all things connected to Camel, one of Reynolds' best-known cigarette brands, after he retired 20 years ago. He worked as a department supervisor in production at R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. for 23 years, and he bought some pieces from the company's souvenir store.

He also combed flea markets from Ohio to Florida, he said. After a while, no one had to worry about what to give him for his birthday or Christmas. Anything related to Camel would do.

Last year, his wife, Bobbie Taylor, bought him a hand-carved wooden camel made in Jerusalem. . . .

Bobbie Taylor smoked Camels now and then in her smoking days, but she and her husband gave up cigarettes in 1987, when doctors told her that she had early-stage lung cancer. Despite being a nonsmoker for more than 20 years, Jesse Taylor still retains fond memories of his years in the tobacco industry.

Watching his former company shrink and splinter has been hard for him.

"I'll tell you one thing - it was a great company to work for," he said. "In the old days, you were people, not a number."

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