Patricia Reckling Taylor

Patricia Reckling Taylor, age 82, died peacefully at home on Tuesday, the 19th of March 2019, after a courageous 4 ½ year battle with pancreatic cancer. Patricia was born in Le Havre, France and attended St. Anne’s Catholic School and St. Agnes Academy in Houston, the Marymount School in Paris, France and the University of Texas in Austin where she was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority.

Patricia was a devoted member of St. Michael Catholic Church for well over 50 years. Her strong faith was a motivation for her many volunteer jobs at the church including serving on the Parish Council, the Funeral Meals Committee and the Women’s Guild, where she served as a Past President. She was a Eucharistic minister taking communion to the homebound and worked as a monitor for weddings held in the Parish Life Center. She was instrumental in re-starting the Women’s Guild after it was dormant for many years. Most recently, she served on the St. Vincent de Paul Society committee for the church. She served in various capacities at St. Michael School where all her children attended including the St. Michael’s School Ethics Committee and volunteered as a room mother, Head Room Mother and served as President of the Parent Teacher Organization.

Patricia believed that volunteering was an essential part of living and modeled the importance of volunteering for her children. Whether it was driving ballet carpool, driving tennis kids across the state, or spending hours at the Post Oak Little League fields, she encouraged and supported her children in all of their endeavors. She served as a brownie cookie manager, a Cub Scout leader and many other roles.

She contributed to her community in many ways including serving as carpool chair at Mrs. Awty’s Nursery School, volunteering in the emergency room at St. Joseph’s Hospital, serving on committees for the Houston Symphony and Houston Ballet, the Houston Public Library, the Jesuit Bazaar, the St. Thomas Round-Up and the Mother’s Clubs for St. Thomas, Strake Jesuit, St. Agnes Academy and Lee High School.

Patricia enjoyed her time as an active member of the Junior League of Houston where she volunteered in the Herman Hospital Well Baby Clinic, the Junior League Tea Room and kitchen. She served as a Garden Co-Chair, Cookbook Chairman, and Stage Manager for the Junior League Children’s Theatre. As a sustaining member, she performed in the Junior League Charity Ball show.

She served on the boards of several non-profit organizations including Sheltering Arms, End Hunger Network, A.W.A.R.E. for Alzheimer’s and Amazing Place (formerly The Seniors Place.) For Casa Esperanza, she twice served as gala co-chairman as well as serving on the Fund Raising Committee. She served as Chairman of the End Hunger Network Fundraising Luncheon as well as the chairman of the Zeta Tau Alpha Founder’s Day Luncheon and Entertainment Chair. She chaired a VIP Party for “Race for the Cure” and most recently served on the Board of her residence at 651 Bering. She was also the past President of the Houston Country Club Women’s Tennis Association and a founding member of the Assistance League of Houston. She loved serving as a past tour guide of both Rienzi and Enron Field.

Patricia worked as an office manager and sales person for Heinz Kugler Photography for fifteen years, worked in the office at St. Michael’s and served as a Food Donations Manager for End Hunger Network where she did everything from “driving a food truck to placing red barrels in grocery stores to feed the hungry.”

Patricia had a “joie de vivre” that inspired all she met. The most important things to her were her Catholic faith, her family and her many many friends. She was happiest when the family was all together or when she was “winning” at mah jong, onze or other card games she loved, participating in one of her groups like the Mystery Club, Mexican Food Lovers, Birthday Club, the WPA’s, her Book Club, her French class or her Friday Night movie group with her many friends or when she was in Paris. She especially enjoyed spending time with her siblings Billy, Tommy and Kay and their families whom she adored.

She gracefully fought the cancer that finally took her life and never complained – not even once – about it. She truly lived life to the fullest!

The family wishes to thank her many friends who drove her or picked her up from M. D. Anderson but most especially Tommy and Isla Reckling, Beverly McCoy and Ronnie Glauser and Lois Taber who so selflessly helped care for her. In addition, Dr. David Fogelman and Dr. Vivek Subbiah and their staffs at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center are greatly appreciated for their expert medical care.

Those serving as Honorary Pallbearers include: Tommy Reckling, Ronnie Glauser, Roy Fausset, Bob Dowdell, Christopher Reckling, Richard Fausset, Robert Dowdell, Trey Taylor, Andrew Taylor, Jr. and Preston Taylor.

She was preceded in death by her parents Katherine Barry Reckling and William Joseph Reckling, her brother William Joseph “Billy” Reckling, Jr. and her loving husband of 46 years Terrell Orman Taylor. She is survived by her four children, Katherine Taylor Dowdell and husband Bob, Terrell Orman Taylor, Jr. and wife Johnnie, Patrick Andrew Taylor and wife Mindy and Eric William Taylor and wife Katy; grandchildren, Katherine “Katie” Reckling Dowdell, Robert James Dowdell II, Terrell “Trey” Orman Taylor III, Patrick Andrew Taylor, Jr., Margaret “Margo” Ann Taylor, Meghan “Meg” Sanders Taylor, Preston Ross Taylor, Margaret “Maggie” Sullivan Taylor and Elizabeth “Betsy” McFaddin Taylor. She is also survived by her brother Thomas R. Reckling III and wife Isla, and sister Katherine “Kay” Reckling Fausset and husband Roy as well as numerous nieces and nephews who adored their “Aunt Fluffy.”

Friends are cordially invited to join the family in recitation of the holy rosary commencing at half-past four o’clock in the afternoon on Tuesday, the 26th of March, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston. Immediately following, all are invited to gather with the family and share remembrances of Mrs. Taylor from five o’clock in the afternoon until seven o’clock in the evening in the grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons.

A memorial mass will be offered at half past one o’clock in the afternoon on Wednesday, the 27th of March, at St. Michael The Archangel Catholic Church, 1801 Sage Road in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family suggests memorial contributions in Patricia’s name be directed toward Easter Seals of Greater Houston, 4888 Loop Central Dr., Houston, TX77081; The Houston Food Bank, 535 Portwall St., Houston, TX 77029; or the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Michael’s Church; 1801 Sage Rd., Houston, TX 77056.