Cherry Taylor

Cherry Taylor

March 9, 1924—May 8, 2016.

Longtime Greenwich resident Cherry Grafton Taylor passed away at her home in Exeter NH on May 8 due to complications from a stroke. She was 92 and had been living at the Riverwoods Retirement Community since 1996. She is survived by her sons Alex III of Lakeville, CT, John of Easton, MD, and daughters Holly Young of Rockland, ME and Faith Taylor of Westport, CT. She also leaves nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband Alex Jr., brother John Grafton, son David, and New Hampshire friend Kel Doyle.

Sailor, teacher, athlete, networker, Cherry was the life of the party wherever she went and made an impression on everyone she met. Her Greenwich roots ran deep. She sailed out of Indian Harbor Yacht Club in her youth, attended Rosemary Hall, where she later was named a trustee, and taught at Greenwich Country Day for 17 years. Cherry loved to recall dancing with Poppy Bush, later the 41st president, at the Belle Haven Yacht Club, an event that was only overshadowed by meeting her Alex , her husband-to-be, at the same dance.

Athletics were a favored pastime. One of her proudest achievements was winning the Spice Cup at Rocky Point Club in Old Greenwich, awarded for combined superiority in skiing and tennis. But children were her real specialty. She majored in early childhood development in college and taught for a year at Greenwich Academy. It was good training for a 44-year stint in Old Greenwich with her and Alex’s five children, where they conveniently lived close to Tod’s Point and Long Island Sound.

Summers usually found Cherry at her home on Vinalhaven Island in Maine’s Penobscot Bay, which has now been in her family for three generations. She adored island life, with its opportunities for boating, exploring, and picnicking and took great pleasure in introducing first her children, and then her grandchildren, to its many pleasures. In later years, Cherry became an enthusiastic birder and traveled with Audubon groups to Africa and Alaska. After a year of training, she qualified as a naturalist guide at the Greenwich Audubon Center, conducting weekly guided nature trips for school children. At times, she stopped moving long enough to take up watercolors. But as her children and friends know well, there was never enough time in a day – or a year– for Cherry to get done everything she wanted out of life.

Contributions in lieu of flowers should go to the Island institute, 386 Main St., Rockland, ME 04841.

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