Lawrence Oliver Taddie

Lawrence Oliver Taddie passed away at home on November 16, 2025 in Cottonwood Heights, Utah, from GPA Vasculitis (a rare autoimmune disease). He was born July 1, 1947 in Cleveland, Ohio, to Julius Taddie (né Giulio Taddei) and Marjorie Ann Taddie (née Bossuot).

Lawrence grew up in Lincoln Park, Michigan, and Melbourne, Florida, graduating from Melbourne High School, 1965; University of Florida (BA, Psychology), 1969; and East Carolina University (MA, Clinical Psychology), 1972. In 1970, he married his South American sweetheart, Mariela Taddie (née Cristancho) to whom he was wedded for 55 years until his death. She was his co-conspirator and companion on so many life adventures and risks, exposing him to different cultures and worlds, which made life fully lived and exciting for both of them.

In 1972, he and Mariela started off on a vagabond adventure with little on their backs, never to live again on the East Coast. By happenstance and accident, they landed in Utah three months later with $5.00 in their pocket, a gas credit card, and a run-down car. They were instantly stunned by the majestic beauty of Utah and made it their home for the next 54 years. Its deserts, alpine mountains, public lands, and the entirety of the West offered opportunities for all of the activities Lawrence loved doing with his family and friends, including hiking, camping, skiing, kayaking, and more. After his retirement, Lawrence and his wife traveled extensively to Europe and Mexico, and made many new and dear friends along the way.

In 1975, a glow of luminous light appeared to Lawrence and Mariela, which became their daughter, Marissa, the most loving and caring child parents could ever wish for. Marissa and her husband, Emmett Geery, were not only loving family and friends, but also valuable and essential in supporting all of the healthcare interventions along the way, and the end-of-life process for Lawrence the past several years.

Lawrence's professional career was with Valley Mental Health and its previous iterations for 27 years from 1973 to 1998. He worked in various positions from frontline clinician to outpatient team leader to unit manager to Associate Director of Outpatient Child and Family Services covering a three-county area. He found his life's purpose in this field. He felt honored to have had the opportunity to help, support, and guide so many children and adults through serious mental and emotional traumas and stages in their lives. This was never 'work' for him, but a calling from deep within that he valued immensely. Additionally, he often commented on the work of colleagues who were equally as dedicated and hardworking in addressing the needs and accessibility to mental health services that were crushing during that time and currently, regretfully, still are.

Lawrence is survived by his wife Mariela, daughter Marissa, son-in-law Emmett, and son Sasha (Keri) and two granddaughters, Sophia and Luciana. Lawrence was grateful to have received outstanding care, treatment, and compassion throughout his illness from his medical team, Dr. Kevin Shilling and Dr. Rebecca Baum as well as Dignity Hospice. During his final weeks, his amazing hospice nurse, Heather, and his CNAs, Rachel and Ou, took great care of him.

In lieu of flowers, consider donating to the Vasculitis Foundation.

https://vasculitisfoundation.org/ways-to-give/memorial-honorary-gifts/