TAYLOR, ESTHER A (STEELE) Of Plymouth, March 3, 2023, age 74; grew up in South Boston and Dorchester. Beloved daughter of the late John H. and Esther V. (Adams) Steele and sister of the late John R. Steele and James A. Steele. Mother of John Christopher Taylor of West Bridgewater. Sister of Jeanne S. McKnight and her husband Stephen of Needham, William D. Steele and Joseph P. Steele of Salisbury, Maureen F. Steverman and her husband Robert of Needham, and Nancy E. Fowler of Marshfield. Also survived by many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Esther graduated from Gavin JHS, then learned work skills at North Reading Rehabilitation Center. She had a strong work ethic, was a nursing-home housekeeper for several years, then a messenger at Mass General Hospital. She was determined to make her own decisions and live her own life. In her 30’s, while living independently with staff support in Dorchester, she met and married her now-former husband, John M. Taylor, and bought a house off Rocky Hill Road in his hometown of Plymouth, where their son, John Christopher, now 39, was born. John’s Mummy Esther loved him dearly, and they enjoyed visits and outings together all her life.
Esther resumed living independently in Plymouth with the support of Community Systems, Inc., and went back to work, first at Caldor’s Department Store, then at Burger King. Esther’s health issues led to an early retirement, a shift to group-home living and many years of participating enthusiastically in day programs provided by CSI until the Covid epidemic and Esther’s increasing health issues ended such activities. She was well cared for by a team of providers at a high-needs group home with its lovely garden on Rocky Hill Road, so her final years continued to be happy. Esther loved her family and friends and loved to dance to 60’s pop music – we’ll all remember her 70th birthday party, Esther dancing to the band with her CSI friends and caretakers, all her siblings and her son John.
Visitation at the Cartmell-Davis Funeral Home, 150 Court Street, Plymouth, Thursday, March 9 from 4-7 PM; Funeral Mass at St. Peter Church 86 Court Street, Plymouth, Friday, March 10 at 11 AM; interment on Saturday, March 11 at 11 AM at Mt. Benedict Cemetery, 409 Corey Street, West Roxbury. Expressions of sympathy may be made in Esther’s memory to Community Systems, Inc., 3 Cedarhill Park Drive, Plymouth, MA 02360.