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Commissioner Muriel Taylor was promoted to Glory on Sept. 14, 2010, from her home in Largo, Fla. Her husband of 67 years, Orval Taylor, daughter Kathleen and son Michael surrounded her.
Muriel was born to Scottish immigrants, Sidney and Lucy Upton, in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, on Nov. 16, 1916. When her father died early in her life, her mother relocated the family to the U.S. Lucy’s friend, Jessie Millar, moved with the family to help them out. Lucy and Jessie had trained together in London, England, to be Salvation Army officers. After moving, both women resumed officership.
Muriel entered the School for Officer Training from Long Beach, Calif., and was commissioned in 1937 with the Guardians of the Covenant Session.
Captain Muriel Upton and Captain Orval Taylor wed in 1943 at the Seattle (Wash.) Citadel Corps; performing the service was Colonel Chester Taylor, Orval’s father.
The couple’s first appointment was in Yakima, Wash. Soon they were appointed as Northwest divisional youth leaders. They later served in Southern California, Greater New York, the Southern Territory, National Headquarters and New York. Their final appointments were at International Headquarters in London, England and territorial leaderships in the Caribbean and Eastern Territory.
They retired from the Eastern Territory in 1986.
During her career, Muriel led women’s services in the U.S., Jamaica, Kenya, Brazil and England. Her commitment reflected that of her mother, a Salvation Army “slum sister” who visited the poor and destitute in London, England in the early days of The Salvation Army. While serving in the Caribbean, Muriel traveled to Cuba several times to support the church there. Still traveling on her Canadian passport, she reportedly transported Bibles and needed supplies to Salvationists still working in Cuba. Always proud of her Canadian heritage, she was also proud of gaining U.S. citizenship when she moved to Clearwater, Fla., upon retirement in 1986. At the Clearwater Citadel Corps, she served as coordinator of visitation to nursing homes.
Surviving her are her husband, Orval Taylor; daughter, Kathleen; son, Michael; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
The Clearwater Citadel Corps held a memorial service on Sept. 19, 2010. Colonel George Church and Colonel Walter French officiated.
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