Mary MAHLER

MAHLER Mary Taft Mahler. Multi Faceted Lady of the Arts. At the request of the family of Mary Taft Mahler, we are printing this special remembrance of her life. After a long and valiant struggle with cancer, Mary Taft Mahler ("Murph"), 74, died December 22, 2009 at her home in Indian Hill, surrounded by her family.Well-known for her remarkable creativity, intellectual curiosity and gracious personality, Mrs. Mahler will be missed by all who knew her.From winning a pub-singing contest in Ireland, where she sang and played her guitar, to performing the lead in "My Fair Lady" for the Indian Hill Church's musical theater series, Mrs. Mahler's talents ran a wide gamut of creative expression. An accomplished soprano, she sang in the May Festival Chorus for many years as well as in the choirs of Indian Hill Church and more recently in the Calvary Episcopal Church choir in Clifton. Mrs. Mahler was also the co-founder of the Musical Arts Center in O'Brienville where each year hundreds of children and adults receive musical training.Her love of theatre led her and her husband Ken, along with Ruth and John Sawyer, to co-found the Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati (ETC). At ETC she served on the board and executive committee for more than 20 years. She performed in several productions at ETC, most notably the one-woman show, "The Belle of Amherst" about the life of Emily Dickinson, Mrs. Mahler's favorite poet. D. Lynn Myers, artistic director of ETC, said of her, "Murph was the heart and soul of Ensemble and beloved by the entire staff."After attending Lotspeich and Hillsdale schools in Cincnnati, and Miss Madeira's boarding school in Virginia, it was at the Central Academy of Commercial Art in Cincinnati where Mrs. Mahler pursued her talent in the visual arts. Her beautiful watercolors and ink drawings are mostly of landscapes and seascapes, or other subjects that reflected her love of nature. In addition to singing, painting and acting, Mrs Mahler was an acclaimed gardener who belonged to a national rare plant exchange organization and the Cincinnati Garden Club."Murph was a genuine lady," said long-time friend Ethan Stanley. "She had an unassuming grace, exemplary character... talent and intelligence... a myriad of admirable, lovable qualities."In addition to her personal artistic and cultural pursuits, Mrs. Mahler continued her family's long tradition of supporting local cultural institutions. She was a generous patron of the Weston Art Gallery at the Aronoff Center for the Arts, The Cincinnati Nature Center, The Fine Arts Fund and numerous other organizations.In addition to her husband, Ken Mahler, and brother Dudley S. Taft Sr., survivors include two sons, Kenneth Taft Mahler of Madeira and Perin Harrison Mahler ("Perry") of Irvine, California; sister Nellie Taft of Boston and three grandchildren. A fourth grandchild, Lily, died at birth.A memorial service will be held at Calvary Episcopal Church in Clifton on Mrs. Mahler's 75th birthday, January 17, 2010 at 3:00PM