Anita Theresa Taylor

Windham, ME- Anita T. Taylor, 78, passed away on December 14, 2025, following a brief illness. She was born in New York City on May 19, 1947, a daughter of H. Austin and Anita (Schorse) Taylor. Anita moved to Hartsdale, New York in 1948 and lived there until her retirement in June 2006. She attended Hartsdale Public Schools from kindergarten through grade 8 and graduated from Maria Regina High School in Hartsdale, NY in 1965. She was on the board and then president of the alumni association for eight years before her retirement.

She received a bachelor’s degree from Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, NY in 1969 and received a Master’s degree from Wesleyan University in Middletown CT in 1974.

Anita was active in her high school chorus, the Mercy College Chorus, and the choir of Sacred Heart Parish in Hartsdale. She taught Science from 1969–1970 in Hastings on Hudson NY Middle School. She taught Biology and Forensic Science in Scarsdale High School in Scarsdale, NY from 1970–2006. While at Scarsdale High School, she was active in the Teacher’s Association, on their executive board, was High School VP for several years, and was also on numerous committees involving working with the architects doing renovations to the high school building, as well as committees interviewing candidates for teaching and administrative positions and mentoring new teachers.

For many years during her teaching career, she volunteered at White Plains Hospital, working with patients on the cancer floor and was also on the executive boards for both the College Club of White Plains and the Woman’s Club of White Plains.

Since she came from a family of teachers, summer vacation was about spending time with family. Most importantly at the family camp on Forest Lake in Maine since 1948. She loved swimming, boating, water skiing, gardening or doing wood crafts. This is where she made lifelong friends for more than 70 years. She cherished her “Maine Family”.

Her love for photography started at a young age, taking pictures of all her travels as well as for many family events such as births, graduation and weddings.

Since her retiring in 2006, she moved to Maine, she had become an even more avid gardener. She grew many vegetables which she shared with those she cared about. She worked harder each year trying to break her Giant Pumpkin record of 227 lbs. She also took wonderful pride in her lawn and garden. Her garden became a favorite backdrop for family photos. She spent her free time volunteering at the South Portland Food Cupboard where she was the Assistant Director and on the Board. Another hobby she had taken hold of since her retirement was woodworking, learning how to work with wood and turning on the lathe. She received blue ribbons for two of her turned wood bowls at the Cumberland Fair season.

She was pre-deceased by her parents and brother, Austin Taylor.

She is survived by her brother, Dr. Hugh Taylor, and his wife, Sarah, of Durham, NC; her nephew, Dr. Gregory Taylor, and his wife, Dr. Gwen Buhr, of Durham, NC; her great-niece, Anna Taylor, and her great-nephew, William Taylor; her niece, Catherine White, and her husband, Tom White, of Huntersville NC; her great-niece, Sarah Catherine Whiteof Boone, NC; her sister-in-law, Shirley Taylor, of Fairfield, CT; her nephew, Mark Taylor, and his wife, Elisha, of Albany, NY; her great-nephew, Austin Taylor; her great-niece, Erin Taylor, of Albany, NY; cousins in England; and her chosen family in Maine, where she will always be remembered as “Aunt Anita.”

Visiting hours will be held from 3-5 pm on Sunday, January 4, 2026, at Jones, Rich & Barnes Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St. Portland. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 am on Monday, January 5, 2026, at Holy Cross Church, 124 Cottage Rd., South Portland, ME.

Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in South Portland.

Please visit www.jonesrichandbarnes.com to sign Anita’s online guest book.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Cloves Syndrome Community 6716 Eastside Drive NE, Ste. 1-116 Browns Point WA 98422 https://givebutter.com/CSC_AnitaTaylor_MemorialFund

or to South Portland Food Cupboard, 130 Thadeus St, South Portland, ME 04106.