Obituary
Elsie Taylor
1928-2014
ELSIE ‘Joyce’ Taylor was born at Murray House in Scott Street, Dandenong, in 1928 and spent the next 83 years of her life in the suburb.
She passed away in an Emerald aged care facility on 23 June following a short illness, aged 85.
Joyce had a life-long love of music, perhaps fostered in her early years through attending Dandenong Town Hall dances in the 1930s and ’40s.
Her parents Elsie and Robert Little lived in Langhorne Street, and Joyce learned to play piano at a neighbour’s home. She went on to gain two diplomas from the London College of Music.
Her father always told Joyce he’d buy her a grand piano when he won Tattslotto. For her 80th birthday, she bought herself the white baby grand she had always wanted.
Joyce attended Dandenong Primary School from 1934 to 1940 and went on to Dandenong High School, where she was among few to complete Form 6. She became a primary school teacher in 1947.
Joyce attended Scots Presbyterian Church in Langhorne Street from a young age and it was there she met Clifford Taylor.
They became engaged in 1948 and under employment regulations she was required to give up her teaching position. She was later asked to return to work because of the baby boom.
Joyce and Cliff married in the same church in 1950 and in 1952 moved into a home in New Street, Dandenong, which Cliff had helped to build. In the next two years, daughters Kathryn and Margaret arrived.
Joyce became involved with the mothers’ club at Dandenong Primary and went on to become the club’s president.
She and Cliff hosted a monthly card night at their house to fund-raise for the Red Cross. Joyce was a Sunday School teacher at Scots and was also in the Scots Presbyterian tennis club.
Between 1963 and 1968, Joyce was the pianist for the local Scout group’s Ang Gang Shows, and she knitted tiny layettes for premature babies and bright beanies for children in Africa.
Joyce volunteered at the Dandenong Eisteddfod, Dandenong Hospital, the Uniting Church op shop and Dandenong Historical Society, and joined the Westernport Theatre Company as pianist for some musical productions.
Joyce met singer Kerryn at the Uniting Church 23 years ago and her in recitals at aged care facilities around the Dandenong area.
Joyce and Cliff celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in November 2000. After Cliff’s passing in 2001, Joyce moved to a unit in Clow Street, before leaving Dandenong for the final two years of her life.
She left behind her two daughters, five grandsons, seven great-grandchildren and another on the way.
