Eugenia Rosalind Taylor

Eugenia Rosalind Taylor, long time resident of the Twin Cities in Minnesota, passed away October 20, 2021, just three months shy of her 103rd birthday.  Recently, Gene resided in the Hi Line Retirement Center in Malta but was born in Spokane WA on January 22, 1919, to Ervin and Clara Taylor.  She grew up in Phillips County going to grade school at the Grass Lake School south of Malta and graduating from Malta High School in 1935.  She earned her RN diploma at Sacred Heart School of Nursing in Havre MT, Public Health Nursing at University of Washington in Seattle, was the Roosevelt County Public Health Nurse, 1943-45; US Army Nurse Corp 1945-46; and completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees at the University of Minnesota in 1949 and 1955.  As a faculty member of the U of Minn School of Nursing from 1949 until 1986, she taught courses in several clinical fields for students in practical nursing, baccalaureate, and graduate programs.  She developed the first interdisciplinary gerontology course for health professional students and served as curriculum consultant to practical nursing and associate degree nursing programs in Minn.  While there she fought for and won equal pay for women.  On a brief leave from U of MN, she worked with the National League for Nursing staff for eight regional curriculum conferences in US.

Her public service activities included: organizing training for Respite Volunteers to support family caregivers; legislative work obtaining state funding for caregiver support projects; appointed to help develop “Seniors Agenda for Independent Living” – a blueprint for coordinating services for the elderly throughout Minn; led in setting up a community-based Block Nurse program for neighborhood home care and support service.  In retirement, through Senior Federation and COACT, she continued efforts in State legislation for true health care reform, namely bills for Universal Health Care for Minnesota and Fair Practice for Prescription Drugs.  Gene also got legislation to stop restraining residents in the nursing home.

Retirement also brought time for travel including Europe, (4 trips to Ireland), Guatemala, the Orient, Australia, New Zealand, Alaska, and Panama.  Some trips were related to nursing and health care activities!!  The best trips were “Home to the Prairie” and the original ET Taylor ranch.

Gene was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers, and their wives Bob (Pearlie) and Tom (Alyce) Taylor, nephew Steve Taylor, great niece Melissa Green Lundstrom and in law Craig Mangis all of Malta, in law Myrna Taylor of Polson, and her long-time friend Virginia Betlach of Minn.

She is survived by her nieces and nephews Tim (Myrna) Taylor of Polson, Suzanne (John) Koss, Becky (Don) Green, Warren (Lori) Taylor, Mary (Craig) Mangis, in law Dorine (Steve) Taylor all of Malta, Robin (Bruce) Warren of Whitewater, Mike (Melody) Taylor of HI, foster brother Albert Taylor of WA, 24 great nieces/nephews, several great-great nieces/nephews and a few great-great-great niece/nephews around the US.

Her funeral services will be held after Thanksgiving…Friday, November 26 at 2 p.m. at St Mary’s Catholic Church.  Memorials can be made to the Hi Line Retirement Center of Malta, the Phillips County Museum or Gene Taylor Nursing Scholarship, University of Minnesota Foundation, PO Box 860266, Minneapolis MN  55486-0266.

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