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Harold Albert Taylor

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"Uncle Harold was a wonderful husband and father. He was..."
"Henry, Lucy & Sandoval Family send our prayers and..."
- Henry Sandoval

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Harold Albert Taylor Former resident of San Lorenzo Passed away on March 31, 2012, at the age of 93 years and 3 months, after a long, productive and happy life. His was indeed a life extremely well lived. Harold was preceded in death by his brothers, Charles Eugene Taylor, Jr. and Stanley Frances Taylor, and his sister, Florence Elizabeth Taylor Pimentel. He is survived by his wife of 66-1/2 years, Marie Ambos Taylor, and his five children: Ronald Albert Taylor (Margaret), Richard Ambos Taylor (Michele), John Michael Taylor (Suzanne), Elizabeth Caren Taylor and Stanley Allen Taylor. In addition, he is survived by thirteen grandchildren: Jennifer Eileen Taylor, Emily Malley Taylor, Thomas Scott Taylor (Heather), Miles Malley Taylor (Emily), Julie Marie Taylor, Kelleen Cherie Taylor, Nickolas Taylor Torres, Grant Whitney Taylor, Clark Garrett Taylor, Nia Marie Torres, Stephanie Lisa Taylor, Lindsay Dianne Taylor, and Ashley Nicole Taylor. The family predominantly resides in Sacramento, where Harold and Marie lived in recent years. Harold was born on December 31, 1918 in Oakland, California where he grew up. His parents were Charles Eugene Taylor, Sr. and Elizabeth Brown Taylor. At an early age, his mother died, after which time he was reared by his father and a "committee" of family members, including his sister and several aunts. His marked sense of family appears to have been shaped by this somewhat unusual method of childrearing which emphasized his extended family. He graduated from Oakland Technical High School in 1937, where he was a star athlete and president of the letterman's club. Next he enrolled at Chico State College, from which he graduated in 1942. While at Chico he majored in physical education and won six varsity letters. Hockey, as he was known by his teammates, was a four year starter on the basketball team, leading the Wildcats to the Far Western Conference championship in the 1940-41 season. He treasured his Chico State experience and was proud that two of his children and two of his grandchildren have, or soon will have, graduated from that college. One of the great honors of his life was to be inducted into the Chico State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986. Following graduation from college, Harold enlisted in the United States Navy, serving thereby his country during World War II as a Chief Pharmacist Mate. It was while in the Navy that he met his wife, Marie, a WAVE from Savannah, Georgia. They were married on October 12, 1945 and, after being discharged, located in Chico where Harold taught at Central Elementary School for 2 years. Harold and Marie's first child was born in Chico during their time there. Next was a move to Auburn, California, where Harold taught seventh grade at E. V. Cane School, of which he was later the principal for a period of time. It was while in Auburn that their other four children were born. In 1957, Harold returned to the Bay Area, locating his young family in San Lorenzo, California, where he and Marie remained until 2008. During his remaining working years, he taught elementary school for the San Leandro Unified School District. Always active, Harold spent 13 years as scout master of Boy Scout Troop 612 in San Lorenzo. All four of his sons obtained the rank of Eagle Scout, as did two of his grandsons years later. In recognition of his service to the Boy Scouts, the Bay Area Council awarded him the Silver Beaver, scouting's highest honor for those providing adult leadership. Similarly, Harold was active in his church, the San Lorenzo Community Church, serving in a variety of roles including Church Moderator, and Council Member. Throughout all this time, Harold was a devoted husband and father. Throughout his adult years, Harold had a marked commitment to social justice, taking stands at times that were not necessarily popular or easy. During the 1960s, he was an advocate for "open housing", a term used at the time to connote racially integrated housing. Later, especially during the 1970s, he was active in assisting Southeast Asian immigrants as they sought to assimilate into life in America following the Vietnam War. During the 1990s and beyond, he was a highly committed volunteer with FESCO, an organization which provides housing assistance to the homeless. For years he served on the FESCO Board of Directors and was a key organizer of its annual Walk-a-Thon fundraiser. All those things he did because he thought, quite simply, that they were the right thing to do. At the time Harold was born, the world was a somewhat different place. Cars were a relatively new invention and no airplane had yet crossed an ocean. No one talked seriously about going to the moon and the notion of the internet would not have been fathomable. Indeed the television had not yet been invented. Yet all those things came to be and Harold got to watch them unfold, one by one. He was indeed a highly interested watcher of history in the making, enjoying knowing and seeing that which was occurring. But through all this, he focused most on that which in his view should never change: a commitment to family, community and that which is right. And for that, his family will be eternally grateful along with the hundreds of students, scouts and community members whose lives he touched and made better. Put simply, he truly knew what mattered and what did not and he lived his life accordingly. What greater testament to a life well lived could there be? A celebration of Harold's life will be held Saturday, May 26 at 2 pm, at Atria El Camino Gardens located at 2426 Garfield Ave., Carmichael.

Published in Inside Bay Area on May 13, 2012

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