Dorothy "Joan" Taylor

Joan Taylor passed away on December 24th in Indianapolis, Indiana. At 92 years old, she was in disbelief about her age and would always say with a smile, “but I don’t look 92!” Her family and friends are grateful for her longevity and her positivity.

Joan (pronounced Jo-ann) was born on June 6, 1930. Her parents were Dorothy Herbert, an artist, and Joseph Henry Woodworth, an engineer who graduated from West Point. She grew up in Connorsville, Indiana. She was predeceased by her sister, Phyllis Carter. Her high school yearbook proclaimed: “Popular Joan has a style all her own… With her personality, she’ll never be alone.”

That prediction proved to be very true. Joan graduated from high school and soon after married William L. Casady. They had 5 children. As the wife of an Episcopal priest and the mother of 5 children, she was very busy and necessarily creative. She juggled organizing rectory events, lobster sales, and church coffee hours, while managing 5 busy children with engaging projects. All of her children remember when she handed them a salt shaker suggesting if you shake salt on the bird’s tail, you will be able to catch it. It kept them busy for hours running all over the yard. Many memories of Thanksgiving mornings when you'd come into the kitchen and she'd hold up the turkey with both hands and dance with it, just to make you laugh.

She and her family moved many times, from New York City to Indiana–Evansville, Plainfield, Columbus, and Indianapolis–then to Chicago. She had a career as an art school registrar at the Chicago Academy of Art, where her mother had been a student decades before.

After her divorce, she moved back to Indianapolis, where she became the Director of Volunteers for the Indiana Mental Health Association. Her empathy and concern for mental health issues made this a fitting position for her. Through it she met the love of her life, Walter C. Taylor, Jr. They adored each other. For the 24 years they were married, they traveled the world. She became an avid skier and they skied the Swiss Alps and took many family trips to ski in Colorado. They had a summer cabin in the mountains near Brevard, NC. Her children and grandchildren have fond memories of telling ghost stories on the back deck; hiking Mt. Pisgah; attending the annual Taylor Family reunions, with over 200 relatives; and her famous pimento cheese dip.

Joan was always upbeat and optimistic. She believed in the power of positive thinking and had metaphorical “fairies” in her purse at all times. She would summon them to find her a parking spot. Somehow it always worked, leaving everyone in the car laughing and teasing her. The “fairies” found missing socks and lots of loose change needed for lunch money. Joan had notorious shortcuts, one from Indy to Mooresville thru the airport up the departure ramp and down to a remote road that went south. She loved having projects. With her signature determination, she single-handedly built a huge beautiful brick patio. She also was a talented artist. She loved watercolor, and her home was graced with many paintings she created over the years. Joan was a dedicated, life-long Tri Kappa member, a member of the Southern Club of Indianapolis, and a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Indianapolis.

Most of all she loved being with her family. She is survived by her five children and their spouses. Cathy Zinkan (Steve), Tory Cloyd (Tom), Ann Casady (Peter Pitegoff), Beth Casady, and Mark Casady (Julia). Her 11 grandchildren, who called her Nana, and their spouses, Ben Cloyd (Araksie), Ross Cloyd, Adam Cloyd (Nicci), Ellen Scirrotto (Steve), Mary Ballegeer (Mark), Maggie Casady, Jack Casady (Emily), Sam Zinkan (Juanita), Joe Zinkan (Sammie), Max Pitegoff (Andy Roy), and Eli Pitegoff; her 12 great grandchildren, Keaton, Carson, Nick, Nadia, Reece, Kendall, Charlie, Connor, Sophie, Luke, Henry, and Skylar.

Joan and Walt were a blended family before the term had been invented. Walt’s children Chris Taylor (Jane), Walter Taylor III, and Susie Taylor were deeply loved by her, as well as Chris and Jane’s daughter Kelly Elaine Harrow (Andrew) and their grandson, Charlie. Watching Joan and Walt work to build relationships across all the children was a lesson in love and caring even when it was sometimes challenging.

Her family wishes to thank all who gave her joy in life, her friends, the staff of Marquette Manor, the nurses and doctors and all who cared for her this past year, and her wonderful caregivers, Jean, Betty, Louise, Joan, and Belinda, and our gratitude to Transition Hospice Care.

In lieu of flowers, a donation in Joan’s memory can be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 6050 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN 46208. www.stpaulsindy.org