Elaine L. (Hevener) Taylor

Elaine L. (Hevener) Taylor died April 21st, 2011, in Dedham, MA. Born on October 20, 1927, Elaine grew up with her parents, Osborn and Hazel, in Maplewood, NJ and spent summers with her Aunt Maude and Uncle Sheldon at the Brownson farm in Shelton, Connecticut. She graduated from Columbia High School in Maplewood in 1945 and Wellesley College in 1949. After college, she married Doug Leander of Millburn NJ. They lived in Chatham, NJ and had four children. While married to Doug, Elaine was a homemaker and volunteer. Doug was killed in the Bonanza Airlines crash of flight 114 in November, 1964.

In 1965, Elaine moved her family into New York City, settling on Washington Place in Greenwich Village. Elaine attended New York University, and got a degree in teaching. She became a teacher’s aide at St. Luke’s School, where three of her children attended school.

Since the 1950’s, Elaine had been taking her family to Wellfleet, Massachusetts each summer. In 1969, she built a house overlooking Wellfleet Harbor. Her house, The Plover Cottage, served as a central focus for her whole life. She loved to vacation each summer with family there, and have friends visit. Cocktail hours and sunsets accompanied friends, conversation, and laughter on the porch of the Wellfleet house.

In 1970, she met Howard Taylor, who had lost his wife and was also raising four children. On April 3rd, 1971, Howard & Elaine married, and she adopted his children into her heart. She and Howard moved to Madison, NJ where they lived until 2007. While in Madison, Elaine worked at the Arts Council of the Morris Area, and for several years ran the “Very Special Expo.”  Elaine also volunteered extensively. Her volunteer activities included the Marionette Players (a group which performed to raise money for charity) and The Grace Counseling Center.

Elaine’s husband Howard passed away on March 19th of this year. Elaine is survived by her children: Michael Leander, Tom (Rose) Leander, David Taylor, John Leander, Debbie  (Brad) Watters, Beth (Stow) Lovejoy, Ellen (Kevin Morison) Leander, and Joan (Tim) Flagler and 17 grandchildren, Mike (Lisa), Julia, Jennifer, Mary Rose, William, Chris  (Jill), Danielle, Sam, Alex, Stephen, Ruth, Nick, Frank, Carl, Drew, Grace, and Abigail, and a great-grand daughter, Nina. As well, she is survived by her cousin Helen and many loving friends.

Elaine’s life had many blessings. Happy marriages, beloved children, wonderful grandchildren, a great-granddaughter, Maplewood friends, Madison friends, and other friends and family, museums, the theatre, travel, poetry classes, spring weeks in Barbados with Bill and Jeanne and summers in Wellfleet with the Muffins – this is only the beginning of the list of Elaine’s good fortune. She shared her joy of life and optimistic outlook with all she knew.

A truly unusual quality of Elaine’s was a sense of kindness that most remarked upon and all felt in her presence. Not only did she never talk badly of anyone but she possessed that rare quality of making anyone who came into contact with her feel hope and a sense of reassurance. This stemmed from Elaine’s compassionate nature but also seemed a God given talent. Her children felt touched by this quality, and also her friends, students, acquaintances and even strangers.

She will be missed for many reasons, especially her boundless love, her resilient character, her compassionate nature, and her sense of humor.

A memorial service will be held on May 21st at 12:30 p.m. at Grace Church, Madison, New Jersey.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to
The Arts  Council of the Morris Area
14 Maple Ave., Suite 301
Morristown, NJ 07960,

or
The Chapel of St. James the Fisherman – Outreach Fund
Post Office Box 1334
Wellfleet, MA 02667.