Zoe Taylor

Zoe Taylor Zoe Taylor passed away peacefully surrounded by family, due to cancer on February 8th 2015. She was 91. Zoe was born in 1923 to Charlie and Florence (Mello) Littlefield and reared in Monterey, California. In 1941 Zoe came to Eugene to attend the U of O. Living most of her life in Eugene until passing, she married H. Rodney Taylor and had their seven children: R. Randal, R. Scott (Brenda), Polly (Don) Simpson, Todd (Mary), K.C. (Joan), Melancy Taylor and Cameron (Sonja). Predeceased by her husband, she is survived by all their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. WWII and her 11 straight years of child birth suspended her college education. After rearing all seven children she returned to graduate from the U of O in her late forties. Zoe became Eugene’s first female stock broker and later directed and managed Trend Business College in Eugene, and in San Bernardino, CA. She remained active in her sorority, Delta Delta Delta, was its national representative and PanHellenic President for several years at Oregon. She was a Greek consultant until last year and a house mother for Kappa Kappa Gamma. Zoe attended Oregon football games at Hayward, Multnomah and Autzen Stadiums and watched Duck quarterbacks from Norm Van Brocklin through Marcus Mariota. She had no personal use for the Huskies since 1949 and fully illustrated the phrase, “Once a Duck, always a Duck”. Zoe, never Zoey, played a good game of golf, a better hand of Bridge, and excelled in high school tennis on the Monterey Peninsula, even playing a set with Clark Gable. Zoe’s mind was always alert and active. She loved cooking, especially for the many large family gatherings. She preferred biographies and non-fiction, worked daily on difficult crossword puzzles and was an excellent conversationalist. Her quiver was full of questions, not arrows, which brought the gregariousness out of the most reserved person, and gave “the stand up” all they needed to get on a roll. She kept current on news, business and sports, and could relate to all types of people (which she thoroughly enjoyed). She embraced the internet as a means to bring the world to her, and to enhance her mission to keep learning; as a means to happiness. She attended countless sporting events of her children/ grandchildren and in later years traveled abroad with her daughter Polly and dear friend, Grace Kerr. During her life, smoking cigarettes was an acceptable vice for Zoe, its dangers delayed due to her Portuguese bloodlines. Her only sibling, Lt. Colonel Robert M. Littlefield, age 92, survives comfortably in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA. Zoe’s seven children hope that you are able to join us in celebrating her life and the happiness she brought to us all on Saturday, March 7, 2015 from 1pm to 4:30pm at the EndZone Terrace Room inside Autzen Stadium. Please enter through the East Gate entrance. In viewing the obituary you are invited to sign the guestbook at www.musgroves.com. Arrangements entrusted to Poole-Larsen Funeral Home.