She expressed her life of faith through music

At a confirmation ceremony in October at St. Laurence Catholic Church in Elgin, a combined choir of Polish-speaking members and the liturgical ensemble performed hymns in English, Latin and Polish.

"It was quite a musical extravaganza," says choir director Cathy Hejnosz of Elgin. "We called it the 'trilingual choir.' "

The glue that held everything together, she adds, was accompanist Nancy N. Taylor, who played the church organ.

It was the last time Mrs. Taylor played at the church, where she first played as a 12-year-old, in 1945. She devoted 62 years to the church's music ministry.

"It was exquisite, she went out with a beautiful performance," Hejnosz adds.

Church members now are joining with Mrs. Taylor's family in mourning her passing. She died Saturday. The lifelong Elgin and South Elgin resident was 74.

"She was a faith-filled woman, who was very, very dedicated to the church," says the Rev. Joseph Kulak, pastor. "It will be hard for me to speak about her, since I worked so closely with her."

Mrs. Taylor grew up in the parish. She was baptized there and attended its school, and it's where she began playing for Masses, weddings and funerals for the nuns who taught in the school.

As a young child, her first passion was tap dancing, which she did at the age of 5 on a local radio station. She took lessons for years, her family said, but soon added the piano to her performance repertoire.

Mrs. Taylor met her future husband, Charles, after graduating from St. Edward High School in Elgin. They married in 1954, and welcomed the first of their four children the next year.

Tragedy struck in 1963, when Mr. Taylor died, and Mrs. Taylor was left to raise her children as a single mother. She found employment at St. Laurence, where she worked as the church secretary and bookkeeper.

At the same time, she kept up with her role as church organist, playing weekly Masses, weddings and funerals, as well as devoting extra rehearsals for the larger holy days, including Christmas and Easter.

"Our holidays were planned around the Mass schedule," says her daughter, Mary Copelan of Maricopa, Ariz. "That's just how we were raised."

For her funeral, church members want to include as many of her favorite hymns as possible. Consequently, they plan to sing, "Surely the Presence of the Lord is in This Place," and "Jesus, Remember Me."

"She was a wonderful, warm person, with a great personality, but she also was a talented musician," Hejnosz adds. "She could accompany a choir so well, and that's a special art."

Besides her daughter, Mrs. Taylor is survived by her three sons: Chuck (Emmy) of Chandler, Ariz.; Robert (Tammy) of Crystal Lake; and Lawrence (Dawn) of Gilbert, Ariz.; as well as seven grandchildren.

Funeral services will take place at 10 a.m. today at St. Laurence Catholic Church, 206 Orchard St. in Elgin.