Brewster Beattie Taylor

Our beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle, brother, and friend, Brewster Beattie Taylor, 75, of Alexandria, Virginia, passed away on February 12, 2026 at his home in Alexandria, Virginia. His final hours were spent in peace with a clear head, a clean heart, and surrounded by his loving family.

Brewster was born in Washington, DC on May 28, 1950 to Andrew and Marianna Taylor. He was the second of four sons and from a young age loved to explore the vast woods of his neighborhood in Bethesda, Maryland. In his earliest years, he began cultivating a rebellious streak; he had a penchant for mischief-making and formed a short-lived club called “The Wrecking Boys.”

Even as a child, Brewster was deeply curious about the world around him. He was a voracious reader and possessed a keen interest in American history, particularly the Civil War. He attended the Beauvoir School, where his grandmother, Elizabeth Taylor, was the founding principal, and then graduated from St. Alban’s School in 1968. He went on to attend Hamilton College, where he became increasingly interested in philosophy, history, English literature, and creative writing. In 1972, he graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a major in English, and was awarded a Thomas J. Watson fellowship, a one-year grant for independent exploration outside the United States.

Over the next decade, he split his time between the United States and Europe, where he traveled across the continent, absorbing all he could about the history and culture of each place he visited. He spent time writing, taught English in Sweden, and attended the Goethe Institute, where he began studying German. During those years he also earned his Masters in English Literature at Duke University and ultimately received his JD from George Washington University.

In 1982, Brewster joined his father’s intellectual property law firm, Larson & Taylor (later merging with Stites & Harbison), where he practiced trademark and copyright law until his retirement in 2021. During his many years there, he successfully represented major national and international companies and trade associations in registration, sale, assignment, and litigation to protect their valuable trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and other intellectual property. He also formed deep and enduring friendships with many of his colleagues and clients, established book clubs, and mentored many young lawyers as they embarked on their legal careers.

On June 11, 1983, Brewster married Patricia “Patty” Herter and they settled in Alexandria. They were married for forty-two years and raised three children: Alison, Brewster (Lars), and Grace. Brewster was an exceptional husband and father and loved his family dearly. He spent much of his free time with them: helping his children with their homework, biking along the Potomac, watching movies in theaters, and exploring historical and cultural sites around Washington, DC. He also loved music, and (much to the chagrin of his children) he enjoyed singing and dancing to everything from Frank Sinatra to Mariah Carey and Steely Dan to James Brown. Brewster was known for leading his family on epic hikes, memorably conquering ten peaks in one day in his treasured Acadia National Park.

Upon his retirement in 2021, Brewster continued to set an example for how to be kind and follow one’s curiosities to live a rich and engaged life. He began taking guitar lessons, became increasingly proficient in German by reading German novels and completing his daily Duolingo lessons, and sought to learn more about the physical and spiritual world by further educating himself in the realms of physics, religion, and philosophy. He reconnected with former classmates, was an active participant in book clubs and prayer groups, and volunteered his time both as a reading tutor for first graders and by delivering flowers to bereaved families every Sunday following the evening service at Christ Church. He spent his final summers in Maine, where he liked to swim in the ocean, read on the porch, and take his dog Ozzie on long walks. He especially delighted in spending time with his three grandsons and was an active and much-loved “Papa Brewster.”

Throughout his life, Brewster continued to model mischief-making in the name of standing up for his deeply-held principles. While he enjoyed sharing books and exchanging ideas with family and friends, he remained steadfast in his belief that in the end, it is only ever really about love.

Brewster is survived by his beloved wife Patricia Taylor; his three children, Alison Henry (Jared), Brewster “Lars” Taylor (Zoe), and Grace Taylor; three grandchildren, Andrew Henry, Thomas Henry, and Brewster “Luke” Taylor; three brothers, Andrew Taylor, Jr (Christine), Christopher Taylor (Bonnie), and David Taylor (Elizabeth); and many cherished nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial service on Saturday, April 11, 2026 at 1:00pm at the Little Sanctuary at St. Albans School in Washington, DC, followed by a reception at Beauvoir. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to Children’s National Hospital.