RANCHO SANTA FE, California (Press Release)–Edith Lee Taylor, a renowned philanthropist, supporter of the arts and leader in advancing psychiatric care, in the company of her family on April 17, died at 83 years old of complications of a stroke in a hospital near her home in Rancho Santa Fe, California.
She was born to Rose and Jack Goodman in Philadelphia and raised in Elizabeth, N.J. Edith and her mother spent a year in Israel in 1934 and later moved to Pasadena where she fell in love with the mountains of California as she completed her last year of high school. Even though the Pasadena Junior College marching band had only one instrument available, the drums, she was not deterred and joined as its only female member. She also was a cheerleader at the Rose Bowl.
Her husband, Dr. Irving Taylor, recalls learning that she did many special projects to earn extra credit at school as she was determined to excel. Edith entered the West Baltimore General Hospital school of nursing, where as a cadet nurse she had the responsibility to care for a ward of 60 medical patients at night. It was here that she met her husband to be, who was then a medical resident; they married on May 2, 1946 after a short engagement. Edith left her training program to re-locate with her husband who was stationed as a Captain in the Army medical corps, first in western North Carolina and then Coral Gables, Florida during World War II. The couple returned to Baltimore in 1947 so that Irving could complete his psychiatric training at Perry Point and Spring Grove Hospitals, moving to Catonsville for two years.
Edith became the Executive Director of the family’s private psychiatric hospital in Ellicott City in 1949. The growing family of four moved to a new permanent home which Edith helped to design with her signature color, turquoise, in northwest Baltimore in 1950. Edith was active with the Maryland branch of Israel Bonds and the medical society. From 1952-1954 she wrote, produced and acted in two musicals to help raise funds and morale for the Maryland State Medical Society Auxiliary.
In addition to raising her two children, Edith worked tirelessly to improve hospital facilities as well as the care and treatment of the mentally ill for the next 30 years, from sewing curtains and designing new buildings to creating and implementing unique educational opportunities and new treatment services at Taylor Manor Hospital. She spearheaded the hospital’s achieving and maintaining its top Joint Commission Accreditation status starting in the mid 1960’s. Edith received a Baltimore Artist Equity award, the first to a non-artist, for her work in bringing the community to the hospital for local artists’ shows and for integrating original art into the décor of the patient areas. She was part of the drive and inspiration behind the hospital’s ground-breaking education series, started in 1966. These symposia, developed before continuing education was a requirement, were open to mental health professionals and the public, and developed national and international acclaim for annually bringing in experts to educate the community on the latest advances in psychiatric care.
Beginning in 1964 she and her husband worked with architects to design and build an advanced hospital building; on its completion in 1968, it was ahead of its time in functionality and safety; meeting the needs of patients, family and staff in an atmosphere of beauty and openness despite being a secure psychiatric facility. Each room and private bath was lovingly planned by Edith and fitted with unique artwork and décor to create a home-like atmosphere. Edith helped to hire, train and supervise many of the staff and also filled in as hospital administrator when her father-in-law, Isaac, took his almost annual trips to Israel. A skilled designer and writer, she won an international MacEachern marketing competition for the hospital’s brochures and educational materials that were sent to professionals throughout the United States. For many years she was active with her husband in the National Association of Private Psychiatric Hospitals. Together with her son she helped develop the first hospital direct advertising program in the state of Maryland. Because of these significant contributions Edith and Irving received a unique award from the National Institute of Mental Health to recognize their work on many fronts in de-stigmatizing mental illness.
In 1979 Edith and Irving moved to California, first to Palm Springs and then in 1989 to Rancho Santa Fe, north of San Diego. With retirement she was able to devote more time to her love of people, animals, education and charitable causes. She was a board member of several charitable organizations, including the Delta Society, ardently contributing to and supporting their recognition of the importance of the animal-human bond. She became the lead donor in the re-development of the small animal wing of the only veterinary hospital in the Middle East, part of the Hebrew University. These and other efforts were recognized with a number of awards for her service to these institutions and the community.
Edith is survived by her husband of 64 years, Dr. Irving J. Taylor; her daughter Stephanie (Ryah) L. Taylor, her daughter-in law and son, Drs. Ellen and Bruce Taylor; grandchildren Martin Taylor and his wife Dr. Cristin Taylor, Ross Taylor, Julie Taylor and Lisa Taylor; and numerous loving cousins.
Services will be at Sol Levinson Funeral Home at 8900 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville, MD, 21208 on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at 1P.M. The family will be in mourning at the home of Dr. Irving J. Taylor at 3500 Southvale Road, Pikesville, Md. 21208, at 7PM on Wednesday and Thursday, April 21 & 22, 2010.
Contributions may be sent to the Delta Society, 875 124th Ave NE, Suite 101, Bellevue, WA 98005 or the American Friends of Hebrew University, 5335 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Suite 440, Washington, DC 20015.
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Preceding provided by the Taylor family