Suzanne M. (Maguire) Taylor

BETHEL – Suzanne M. (Maguire) Taylor, 89, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at Schooner Estates, with her loving family by her side. She was born on March 26, 1937, in Boston, Mass., the daughter of the late Richard and Mildred (McIntire) Maguire.

Suzanne graduated from Edward Little High School and went on to pursue her passion for learning at Bates College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and Psychology in 1975 and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. Her enduring commitment to education led her to Dartmouth College, where she received a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies in 1984 and was awarded a Citation for Excellence. She later continued her studies at Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf Graduate School of English, earning a Master of Literature in 1988. During one summer of this program, she studied at Oxford School of English in the UK. Throughout her life, Suzanne remained a devoted learner and a true lover of education.

She married her high school sweetheart, Charles “Phil” Taylor, on Sept. 2, 1957, and they shared 60 loving years together until his passing in 2017.

After graduating from Edward Little, Suzanne was a devoted military wife and mother, faithfully supporting her husband and lovingly caring for their children as their family lived in various locations, including Germany, which held a special place in their hearts. Upon returning to Bethel, she continued to dedicate herself to her family while also owning and operating an art studio, where she shared her passion by giving art lessons. After Phil accepted a teaching position at Telstar Regional High School, Suzanne began pursuing her own educational goals, embarking on a journey of continued learning and personal growth.

A dedicated educator, Suzanne held a deep love for both her work and her students. She was committed to forming meaningful connections and took great pride in helping others believe in themselves. She spent the majority of her teaching career at Telstar Regional High School, where she taught all levels of English and literature. In her later years, she continued to share her passion by teaching art and literature courses through the Western Mountains Senior College in Bethel.

Generous in spirit, Suzanne was always eager to lend a hand and give of herself to those around her. Outside the classroom, she found joy in swimming, cross-country and alpine skiing, painting, sculpting, reading, and traveling, but above all, she cherished the time she spent with her family.

She was predeceased by her parents, Richard and Mildred Maguire, and her beloved husband, Charles “Phil” Taylor.

She is survived by her loving children, Mary Merrill and her husband James, and Jack Taylor and his wife Laura; her sister, Lee Hearn and her husband Robert Hearn; her beloved grandchildren, Kayla Beers, Lyndsay Cullinan and her husband, Trent, Lauren Merrill and her fiancé Cameron Slicer, Corey Taylor and his wife Jessie, Tiffany McKenna and her husband Ben, Chad Burlingame, and Adam Taylor and his partner Tammy Webber; as well as her 20 treasured great-grandchildren.

Family and friends are invited to attend visiting hours on Friday, April 17, 2026, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Chandler Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 45 Main Street, South Paris. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Our Lady of the Snows, 265 Walkers Mills Road, Bethel. Burial will take place in the spring at Powers Cemetery in Newry.

For those unable to attend, the services will be live-streamed on Suzanne’s obituary page at http://www.chandlerfunerals.com.

Online condolences may be shared at http://www.chandlerfunerals.com.

In lieu of flowers,

donations may be made to:

the Phil and Suzanne Taylor Scholarship Fund at

Telstar High School

Attn: Ted Davis

284 Walkers Mills Rd.

Bethel, ME 04217