Andrea A. Taaffe, a longtime resident of West Roxbury MA, passed away peacefully at home on May 2, 2010 after a courageous battle against cancer. Andrea was born on May 26, 1948, the daughter of Helen L. Taaffe and the late Andrew A. Taaffe. She is survived by her husband of 31 years, Alan H. Gordon, and their three beloved children Nathaniel T. Gordon, Elizabeth T. Gordon and Andrew T. Gordon. She is survived by siblings Kathryn McLearn, Jane Yount, David Taaffe, nieces and nephews.
Andrea grew up in LaGrange Ill, graduated from the University of Indiana and received certificates in landscape management, design and community preservation from the University of Massachusetts and Radcliff Seminars, Harvard University. Since 2003, Andrea has served as Executive Director of the Shirley Eustis house museum in Roxbury MA where she involved community children in a Heritage Day and an urban learning farm as part of The Food Project. She is 2009 recipient of the Eugenie Beal Leadership Lifetime Achievement award for her many years of commitment for expanding environmental resources throughout Boston. Andrea was Mayoral appointee to the Boston Cultural Council; served on the Advisory Board of the Boston Millennium Park; was on the Board of Directors and chaired the Education and Outreach committee of the Boston Greenpeace Alliance where she improved green spaces in public housing developments and initiated a youth landscape training program. A friend of libraries, Andrea was instrumental in ensuring that the new West Roxbury addition included a reading garden. Andrea brought genuine passion and inspirational leadership to her work on the greening of Boston, historic preservation and constituency building efforts. She made a difference. A woman of strong convictions, Andrea was a spirited and generous soul with her family and the diverse group of friends, colleagues, children and adults that she touched.
A celebration of her life will be held on Friday May 7, 2010 at 11am at Forest Hills Cemetery, 95 Forest Hills Ave. Boston 02130.
Please wear joyous colors.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts in her honor to The Food Project 10 Lewis Street, Lincoln, MA 01773; thefoodproject.org would be deeply appreciated.