Obituary of Ann M. Taylor

Ann Marie Taylor, beloved mother, sister, aunt, grandmother and friend, passed away peacefully on April 28, 2020. Ann grew up in the quaint town of Mansfield, PA and spent most of her life there. Her mother, Marie, was a homemaker and her father Ralph, a banker. Ann lovingly cared for her mother until her death at the age of 97. The youngest of three children, Ann was born in Sayre, PA in 1935. Ann was married for several years and had a cherished daughter, Michele. Ann also has a wonderful grandson Zach and granddog Chessie. During her earlier life, Ann attended Mansfield State Teachers College (now Mansfield University) and received a degree in education. She taught 6th grade in Elmira, NY until the 1970's. Wanting a career change, Ann returned to college and attended Penn State University earning a Master's Degree in Journalism in 1979. Ann enjoyed reading, researching, cooking, traveling and vacationing at the beach. She always had a love for photography and capturing all of life's special moments. You rarely saw her without a camera in her hand but she was very camera shy herself. She took great joy in photographing special occasions of friends and family such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, new home construction and renovations and would stop at nothing to get the perfect shot. She would then gift commemorative photo albums that people still talk about today. She was extremely creative and organized many memorable and elaborate parties for her daughter and anyone she knew having a celebration. All she wanted was for everyone to feel special. She was also born with a passion for animals and their welfare, especially cats, and rescued and opened her home to dozens of 4 legged "children" throughout her life. Once when driving home at dusk she hit a deer and, oblivious to the damage to her car, ran into the woods to see if the deer was ok! Ann always put others first. Her greatest joy came from being a mother and Michele adored her just as much. To know Ann was to know that she was the most kind, caring, generous, compassionate, fiercely independent and funny person you could ever meet. In any gathering, she always wanted to bring people together and make sure they felt included, comfortable, fed, and happy. She also immensely enjoyed making everyone laugh with her beloved, one-of-a-kind, sense of humor! Even when hospitalized, she would want everyone from the cleaning staff to the physicians to sit down, talk and share her food. In later years, after outings, she always insisted on bringing cookies back for the "kids" as she called her fellow residents at Brookdale. Speaking of food, she adored Hershey's chocolate bars, chocolate ice cream, Lays potato chips, McDonald's French fries, Pepsi (in earlier days and often for breakfast) and Italian dishes. She loved preparing bountiful holiday meals that left her family full for days and was always the first to provide food for anyone ill or in need. Ann's smile could light up a room and she was a ray of sunshine to everyone who was blessed to know her. Her family knows she would be honored if her memory was kept alive with unending kindness and compassion to others and much, much laughter. "Stay close to people who feel like sunshine". Ann was predeceased by her parents and sister, Jane T. Morgan. She is survived by her daughter, Michele Ferreira, son-in-law Chris, grandson Zach and granddog Chessie of Whitehouse Station, NJ; her brother John C. Taylor of Waterloo, NY; nephews John Mark Taylor and wife Stacy of Farmington, NY, James Taylor and wife Jodie of Las Vegas, NV; niece Joyce McClary and husband Ray of Meshoppen, PA and cousins Barbara T. Winter of Pottstown, PA and Elizabeth T. Soules of Denver, Co as well as many special "adopted" daughters who lovingly cared for her at Brookdale Senior Living. A celebration of life will take place when it's safe to gather again. Those who wish to do so may consider donating to one of the following: an Animal Shelter of one's choice, Local Food Banks, Mansfield Free Public Library 71 N. Main St., Mansfield, PA, the Alzheimer's Association www.act.alz.org or the American Heart Association www.heart.org. Buckheit Funeral Chapel and Crematory, Inc. 637 S. Main St. Mansfield, PA and Wright and Ford Family Funeral Home, Flemington, NJ are assisting the family.