Elgin meant all to her

Mary M. Taylor loved her community so much that she gave it decades of her life through public service and even had a large Kane County map on the wall of her Elgin home.

Taylor, who served from 1982 to 1996 as the Kane County Board's District 22 representative, died Friday at the age of 84.

"Elgin was her life," said Taylor's daughter, Tina Sachs. "She didn't want to leave Elgin. She was born here, died here and will be buried here."

Taylor was born April 9, 1923, to Albert and Henrietta Muntz, one of the city's oldest families.

She graduated from Elgin High School and Lake Forest College. And like many in town, she worked at the Elgin Watch Factory before getting married.

But Taylor's husband, Leigh, died in 1966, and Taylor delved into local politics after Tina went off to college.

The late Marie Yearman, a longtime Elgin city clerk and council member, urged Taylor to run for office.

Kane County Board Chairwoman Karen McConnaughay served with Taylor from 1992 to 1996.

McConnaughay recalled Taylor's appreciation for cultural events and holidays. She also noted Taylor's strong background in knowing the county's early settlers and how family farms had passed through generations.

"She was very dedicated, very enthusiastic and worked hard to represent her constituents," McConnaughy said. "She was in an official capacity quite often the county board's unofficial historian."

During her service, Taylor helped secure land for the Elgin riverboat, pushed to widen Randall Road, and served on 11 committees.

After Taylor's tenure at the county, she also served on Elgin's Board of Police and Fire Commissioners.

Sachs said her mom was a regular at Republican functions, fish fries and fund-raisers in the city and county.

Paul Grieskves, a longtime county board member, recalled how she immediately befriended him even though he was a Democrat.

"She was just an outstanding person," Grieskves said.

Visitation for Taylor was held Monday. Her funeral is slated for this morning, along with a private ceremony at Bluff City Cemetery.

Sachs said in lieu of flowers, people should vote instead.

"Because that's what she would have wanted," Sachs said. "In memory of my mom, go out and vote."