Eden Taylor, who died peacefully aged 91 on January 11th at Gibson House, led a life of steadfast faith, and was quiet, unassuming and open minded. Born in Reading (though her mother was Scots), her parents whose Christian faith and love of music she inherited, taught her to work hard and she won a scholarship to Queen Anne's Caversham, and then read classics at Reading University. Graduating in the early 1930s, Eden taught for several years. On a walking holiday in Norway with a fellow teacher, Mary Miln from Dundee, she met George, a chartered accountant also from Dundee. They were married in 1940 and Eden moved to Glasgow. There, George, a pacifist and conscientious objector with a strong Christian faith, was working in the docklands area with the youth too young to be called up.
Such was their mutual faith that George in 1946 went to the Gold Coast (Ghana) as an accountant with the Church of Scotland for 18 months whilst Eden remained behind with their two young daughters Di and Liz. A post in university administration brought the family to St Andrews in 1948 and in 1952 their youngest daughter, Jane, was born. Eden was able to use her teaching skills coaching at home those who found compulsory Latin for university arts students a great burden, and remaining friends with many of her students. She also became an examiner for the Scottish Higher Certificate. Later, when the family was older, she taught at Madras and then St Leonards.
The family were ecumenical in their worship in Martyrs Church, where George was Session Clerk in the university college chapel. In St Andrews Church, Eden and George worked out their Christian faith, not just in church, but by founding the Overseas Society to ensure that overseas students felt at home both in the university and in the town. They kept open house for students from around the world, many of whom kept in touch with Eden for the rest of her life. George finally returned to Africa with Eden in 1971 to visit Liz and Brian in Malawi and former overseas students in Kenya and Ghana.
But Eden also gave her time and talents to other groups within St Andrews: University Wives, the Archaeological Society (managing to get to their 50th anniversary dinner last year) and the Ladies Debating Society of which she was twice President. As a friend said, "She enlivened so many parties, punctured pomposity (gently) and more trenchantly expressed critical but balanced opinions on issues concerning church or state or personal relations."
Eden mourned George after his death in 1972. By then living at 19 North Street, she gradually involved herself at All Saints' Church - embroidering kneelers for the chapel, helping with the Age Concern club and her soup making the Ladyhead legendary. She also travelled widely visiting family in Malawi, Mauritius (where she learnt to snorkel), USA and Iona.
Eden loved people and was truly hospitable, befriending strangers, helping the lonely and keeping an open house. Her circle of friends continued to expand to the end of her life as her children's and grandchildren's friends were included, many of whom were at her funeral.
Eden's last years were spent in Gibson House which she came to consider her home thanks to the warmth of the staff that lovingly cared for her there. In spite of failing eyesight and limited movement her wisdom, wit and what one friend called her "wicked sense of humour" remained and her delight in meeting new people as well as her ability to do cryptic crosswords in her head continued. Eden died peacefully, surrounded by her family who will miss her greatly. She had a huge influence on all their lives and on the lives of so many others.
All Saints' Church was packed for Eden's funeral on January 16th at which Rev Marie Louise Moffett so aptly described Eden's life in the words of St Paul in 1 Corinthians 15, "Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord".