Margarette Olivia Taylor

Margarette was born and spent her childhood and adolescent years in Chichester, a small city near the South Coast of England. Her father, William Holmes Searl, was a chartered accountant and an air raid warden during the World War II, having spent his time in the trenches during the previous war. He was born and educated in Trinidad, British West Indies and immigrated to England in 1916, to enlist in the British Army.

Her mother, Catherine Frances McParland, was born and raised in Northern Ireland, leaving to enter hotel training in England shortly after the end of the Great War. Fate conspired to place both of them in the small town of Chichester, where they met, fell in love and subsequently married.

Her father had two daughters from a previous marriage, whose mother was plagued by ill health, so the girls were cared for by their grandparents, which arrangement continued after their mother’s death and, for the most part through their growing years.

Margarette was a gifted student, and left high school with highest honors to enter medical school in London. It was the custom at the university to hold a “freshman dance” which was well attended by students from other universities throughout London. Fate, once again conspired to prompt John H Taylor to attend the event, and life for Margarette and John changed forever. Margarette continued her medical studies for several years, spending her summer vacation time working as an orderly, and sometimes assisting the physicians at the local hospital.

John graduated as a Veterinary Surgeon, but after less than a year in practice, decided to return to school at Reading University to study for a Ph.D. in agricultural research. Not being too keen on the idea of living and working in two different cities, a momentous decision was made by Margarette who left the academic world to become a full time wife, following their marriage on February 3rd 1954.

John’s chosen line of research was right on the mark for that time period and he was recruited by the American Cyanamid Company to continue his work. Following 11 years in London during which time their daughter Anne was born and flourished, it was off to the U.S.A., then Hong Kong. During those years Margarette owned and operated a thriving beauty salon while Anne attended elementary school and the entire family formed a lasting love of the Asian lifestyle.

But ‘Uncle Cy” spoke and it was back to the US company headquarters in New Jersey, and before long John was on the move again, this time to the Puerto Rican subsidiary. Accepting this position proved to be a wise decision, since it resulted in another prestigious posting to Cyanamid of Great Britain Limited based in southern England. Anne was able to leave boarding school and live with her parents until she enrolled in university.

Margarette and John shared a joy for travel, and saw much of the world together during their many adventures domestically and abroad. She also was an excellent writer, and loved writing romance novels, and had several very good stories published under the pen name Diana Dennison. She also found time to acquire a certificate as an Associate Financial Planner in 1984.

John’s final years at Cyanamid culminated in attaining the position of Divisional President back in New Jersey, before his retirement move to Austin Texas. Here he and Margarette built a beautiful hillside home and worked hard at becoming Texans. Sadly Anne’s health became a major problem, requiring her to move home, until her death May 4th 2003. John’s health also had declined rapidly in the fall of 2002, and he died June 14th 2003.

After the shock of losing her family, Margarette spent some months with her Canadian family, before heading over to England to visit the Taylor family, her sister and brother-in-law Mary and Henry Collins, also some friends from her days in London. Briefly hospitalized due to exhaustion on her return Margarette decided to sell the house and move herself and cat “Mr.Tatters” into the retirement residence at Brighton Gardens, where they lived for several years. Having heard of and watched the construction of a brand new retirement residence on Great Hills Trail, once again Margarette and Tatters packed up and moved.

By this time her entourage had grown to include Nancy Crossthwaite, therapist and dear friend, followed by caregiver extraordinaire Lisa Collier who worked tirelessly to keep Margarette occupied and everything else in order. During the last couple of years of her life, Margarette’s health challenges required a higher level of care and attention which was given with great happiness by every caregiver who was graced to enjoy her even in her decline.

January of 2013 saw a serious and disabling stroke with loss of mobility and for the most part communication. In September of this year Margarette suffered a myocardial Infarction, from which she did not recover.

Margarette’s Texas lifeline from beginning to end was enhanced by the professional guidance, friendship and love provided unsparingly by Llewellyn Lampley, to whom her family owes a debt which could never be compensated. We thank you Llewellyn and we love you dearly.

Margarette is survived by her sister, Deborah Burns of Belleville, Ontario, her niece and her husband, Sue and George Bongard and their children and grandchildren also of Belleville, her nephew, Nigel Thomas and his daughter Hillary, her niece, Nicky Thomas, all also from Canada. Sadly, one week after Margarette’s passing, her half-sister Mary also left this world, leaving behind her husband, Henry Collins, their son Jonathan Collins, and Stephen Ridd, son of Margarette’s other deceased half-sister, Pauline Ridd. Margarette also leaves behind her husband John’s brother and sister-in-law, Peter and Jean Taylor, and their children David P. Taylor, Sheila Penelope Steadman, Carolyn Mary Hargreaves, and Katherine Nicola Sherwood, with their spouses and children.

Contributions may be made to Austin Animal Center, whose webpage is http://austintexas.gov/department/animal-services.