She was born in Cleveland, Ohio and moved with her parents Mr. and Mrs. Clee C. Smith to Los Angeles, California, as a young child. She graduated from Beverly Hills High School and continued her education at the University of Redlands, Redlands, California.
After college, she began her printing and publishing career with Whitman Publishing Company in Los Angeles, and worked for several years until meeting Dr. Thomas Earl Taylor, Jr., a widower from Columbus, Georgia. After their marriage in 1961, Mrs. Taylor moved to Columbus where she lived with for the remainder of her life.
As an early advocate of Historic preservation, she served as a Trustee of Historic Columbus Foundation for summer terms. She also served as President of the St. Francis Hospital Auxiliary and on the Board of the Springer Opera House.
Mrs. Taylor faithfully served in leadership roles for the Garden Club of Georgia on the state, district, and local levels. She was the President of the Ivy Garden Club, Magnolia District Board of Directors, board member of The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. and was editor and producer of Georgia’s national award winning publication Garden Gateways for 15 years.
She was also a member of The National Trust for Historic Preservation, The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, Historic Columbus Foundation, Phalo Study Club, the Country Club of Columbus, the big Eddy Club, and The Columbus Museum, and St. Paul United Methodist Church.
Mrs. Taylor was the predeceased by her parents, her husband, her beloved aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Henry.
She is survived by her step-children Elizabeth A. (Beth) Taylor of Columbus, Howard Earl Taylor of Winston-Salem, North Carolina; John David Taylor of Carbondale, Colorado; and his children order Elizabeth Shield-Taylor and Noel Juliet Shield-Taylor of Aspen, Colorado.
She is also survived by her faithful companion, Patricia Hill and longtime employees Walker Watkins, Perry Watkins, Clifford Watkins, Sam Stratford and her beloved PAWS cat, Miss Claire.
According to her interests, the family will appreciate donations to the Historic Columbus Foundation (P.O. Box 5312, Columbus 31906), The Columbus Museum (1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus 31906) or PAWS Humane (4900 Milgen Road, Columbus 31907).
A private family service and interment will be held at a later date.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.shcolumbus.com for the Taylor family.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18