Evelyn Taylor, known for giving, dies at 87

Evelyn Taylor, an accomplished educator and former board president of Samaritan House, died Tuesday at the age of 87.

The Foster City resident died from complications of dementia and Parkinson’s disease.

Taylor’s career as an educator with the San Mateo-Foster City School District began in 1966 and led to her collaboration with Samaritan House.

Concerned for her students, she worked with former Samaritan House Executive Director John Kelly to create and expand programs that today include the free dining hall and pantry, the holiday program and the Kids Closet.

Former Samaritan House programs she co-founded included afternoon tutoring sessions and the North Central College Institute, which encouraged youth to prepare for college.

In 1984, as principal of North Shoreview Elementary School, Taylor worried that many of her students were not receiving adequate nutrition and offered her school as home to a community-based free dinner program so that low-income families could be served twice a week. By 1985, Samaritan House assumed ownership of the program, and Taylor helped extend the meals to five nights a week. The direct result of this effort is today’s 23,000 meals served annually at the Samaritan House Free Dining Hall at the Westside Church of Christ.

She was inducted into the San Mateo County Women’s Hall of Fame in 1989.

Also at North Shoreview Elementary School, Evelyn offered the use of an old book closet for a free canned food pantry. This became the progenitor of today’s Samaritan House Pantry, which now distributes almost 14,000 bags of food to people in need.

Long-time friend Roberta Smith was a teacher at North Shoreview when Taylor was principal.

"She was the best principal I ever worked for. She was like a mother to everyone,” Smith said. "Kids were not afraid to go into her office. She had such a big heart.”

Taylor made everyone around her want to be better, Smith said.

Taylor also helped shape the Kids Closet and holiday program. She made the gymnasium available to Samaritan House for free clothes distributions known as "Super Saturdays.” The clothes program ultimately became the Kids Closet.

"... Evelyn’s spirit will remain in the charitable programs she nurtured in life. These will continue to grow — and to lift up the families and children for whom Evelyn cared so deeply,” staff at Samaritan House said in a statement.

She is survived by her children Paul Taylor of Foster City, Laurie Hagen of Cameron Park, brother Dr. Tom Manning of El Paso, Texas, grandson Paul Taylor Jr. of San Mateo and great granddaughter Destiny Taylor of Foster City.

Established in 1974, Samaritan House is a nonprofit health and human services agency providing a broad range of services and resources to low-income residents in the county. Services include case management, clothing, medical care, food, shelter, employment assistance and food and toys for the holidays. All services are provided free of charge to low-income families.

The funeral service is 10:30 a.m. today, Sneider & Sullivan & O’Connell’s Chapel, 977 S. El Camino Real. Interment service will be at Skylawn Memorial Park with a reception to follow.