Bertrand L. Taylor III

Bertrand L. Taylor III Bertrand L. Taylor III of Naples, Florida, Alexandria, Virginia, and Paris, France, died of cancer on Sunday, April 13, 2008, at his residence in Alexandria, Virginia. He was born on February 19, 1920, in New York City. He was the son of Bertrand L. Taylor Jr. of New York and Paris, France, and Mary Isabelle Taylor of New York and Martha' s Vineyard, Massachusetts. His grandparents were Bertrand L. Taylor and Nellie Cadwell Taylor of Watertown, New York. He graduated from St. Paul' s School, New Hampshire, in 1938 and from Yale University in 1942, with a degree in Economics. He was a member of the ROTC and was commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy. During World War II, he served aboard two successive destroyers as gunnery officer: the USS Jeffers which was the first major warship to lead the landing armada in the invasion of Normandy at Omaha Beach; and the USS Harry F. Bauer which participated in the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The ship survived numerous kamikaze attacks and was recognized by the New York Times as one of the luckiest ships in the Pacific. The ship received the Presidential Unit Citation and Bertrand was awarded a Bronze Star for his service. Bertrand' s father was a member of the New York Stock Exchange from 1914 until 1940 and was the youngest Governor elected to the Board. Bertrand followed his father' s footsteps and in 1947 started the B. L. Taylor III & Co. in New York, specializing in arbitrage. He was a Member of the New York Stock Exchange until 1974. After retirement, Bertrand was involved in philanthropy, which included support in establishing the Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York. In 1982, he was knighted by the Knights Hospitalier Sovereign Order of St. Johns of Jerusalem in Valletta, Malta, for his efforts. Bertrand' s aunt, Countess Dorothy Taylor di Frasso was married to Count Carlo Dentice di Frasso of Rome, Italy. Dorothy was instrumental in the renovation of the Villa Madama in Rome. It was originally built in 1518 by Cardinal Giulio de Medici, the future Pope Clement VII, from plans designed by Raphael and his disciple Antonio de Sangallo the Younger. Bertrand was a member of the Brook Club in New York, the Travelers Club, Paris Annabelle' s, London, Naples Bath and Tennis Club, Florida and Farmington Country Club, Charlottesville, Virginia. He was an avid sailor and swimmer and throughout the years was a member of the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club, Martha' s Vineyard. He is survived by his wife of 16 years, Fay Davis Taylor; his sister, Mary Taylor Zimbalist of Ojai, California; and five children from previous marriages, Kate Pennebaker of East Hampton, New York, Linda Latter and her husband, Gerald, of Northport, New York, Daisy Lifton and her husband, Floyd, of Idylwild, California and Martha' s Vineyard, Massachusetts, Lauren Taylor and her husband, Noah Maffitt of Manalapan, Florida and B.L. Taylor IV and Melanie Hiller of Martha' s Vineyard. He is also survived by nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. The family gives special thanks to Dr. Raymond Murow for his unrelenting dedication and to Bert' s nurse, Kelly Porter, for her exemplary care and devotion. A memorial service for family members will be held at the Everly-Wheatley Funeral Home in Alexandria 1 p.m. Friday, April 18, 2008, with Dr. Thomas Leland, University Baptist Church, Charlottesville, Virginia, officiating. Interment will be at the Taylor Memorial Plot in Woodlawn Cemetery, New York City, with graveside services at a later date. It is requested that memorial donations be made to the University Baptist Church, 1223 West Main Street, Charlottesville, VA 22903 in memory of Bertrand L. Taylor III.


This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.