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ETHEL TAYLOR (“ET”) nee Goodman (January 7, 1925 – November 30, 2024), passed away peacefully in Toronto, surrounded by loved ones at the Sunnybrook Veterans Centre, Sunnybrook Hospital after an extended illness. She is survived by her deeply beloved and loving daughter Shauna Leigh Taylor- Oppenheimer, son-in-law Jamie Oppenheimer, and her “GrandDogter, DogtorSydneyTaylor”. She was predeceased by her beloved, loving husband, Dr. Sydney Taylor, son Dean Jordan Taylor, father Benjamin Goodman, mother “Gittel” Jenny Goodman (nee Tevensky), sisters Mary Rapp, Lillian Krevat, Rosie Shumacker, Bessie Zeleny, brother Sammy Goodman, and her cherished father-in-law Sir Isaac Taylor and mother- in-law Jeannie Taylor (nee Walters).
Ethel was born in Toronto and she lived there all her life. After falling in love with each other at just 15 years of age, in 1945, as soon as WWII ended and Sydney finished his service with the Royal Canadian Air Force, she married the love of her life when they were both 20 years of age. In her early life, she worked for the Dept. of Veterans Affairs (DVA) and eventually helped to open the Veterans Centre at Sunnybrook Health & Sciences Centre. Ethel worked while Syd attended University of Toronto Dental School, where he excelled, finishing first in his class of 150 students each year. After they raised their two children, and following the retirement of Syd’s longtime dental assistant, for the last decade of his dental practice, she worked alongside “her Sydney” as his dental assistant and personal secretary.
Ethel was blessed with a wonderful sense of humour, a sharp mind, a clever wit, and a profound love of nature. She loved all animals, especially her 3 miniature schnauzers. She and her beloved Sydney spent as much time as they could at their cottage on Little Doe Lake in the Almaguin Highlands, fishing, enjoying that bucolic paradise that meant so much to them, and keeping score of their years of gin rummy games. They shared a mutual love of music at home and throughout their extensive travels. They enjoyed dancing together and concerts featuring crooners and bands that played at “local” spots like the Palace Pier and the Palais Royale in Toronto, as well as the many fabulous venues in New York City, Chicago, Miami, and Las Vegas where so many of the great stars performed. They never missed a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey game or a Toronto Blue Jays baseball game. ET had a keen eye for fashion, interior design, and collecting antiques. In her latter years, ET completed challenging Sudoku and New York Times Crossword Puzzles, in her successful efforts to keep her mind sharp. She also used her tablet everyday to surf the web, watch YouTube videos, to keep current with her Facebook posts, and to leave comments on her many friends’ pages.
ET and her husband were very close friends with the late, legendary Vic Damone, and through their relationship with him, came to know other celebrities like the late Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorm, the late Lena Horne, Sammy Davis Jr., Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, John Raitt, Don Rickles, Buddy Hackett, Hugh Hefner, Diahann Carroll, and many other artists that were featured on her radio broadcasts. During a Passover Seder, when the family received a phone call from Vic Damone informing them that he had just recorded, “Every Time I Look At You”, a song written by Ethel and her daughter Shauna Leigh Taylor, that was certainly one of the thrills of her life.
Her decision to host the MARTINI MUSIC radio show was due to a serendipitous introduction to the then host, the late, celebrated actor James Carroll. While James was still hosting the show, it was his intention to interview ET, because of her association with so many of the musical stars he had featured on his show. During the last years of his life, James, Ethel, Shauna, and Jamie developed a close friendship, and James made a dying request that ET carry on his job hosting the “Martini Music” radio show on Hunters Bay Radio, CKAR, The Bay 88.7FM. When James passed away in April, 2016, ET took on the time of oldest living radio show host in Canada.
The Taylor/Oppenheimer family would like to acknowledge the excellent care provided by longtime companion and caregiver Andrea Yolanda Macalalad Reyna (Pharmacist, Medical Assistant, Lab Technician), who began taking care of Syd in his latter years, and as per his last wishes, stayed with Ethel for 11 more years, the remainder of her life without Syd. Special thanks to Andrea’s daughters, caregivers Arriane Reyna and Hertzchel Reyna, who like their mother, took care of ET during the most vulnerable time of her life. Thanks also to ET’s previous longtime, beloved assistant, Deirdre Lloyd-Craig. When 24/7 care became essential, some angels joined the “ET Caregiving Team”, making it possible for Ethel to remain in her own home, receiving the best possible nursing care imaginable, from Jacqueline Atim and Elizabeth Agyiri, Karen Locke NP, Karen Yu NP, Nurse Reza, plus Dr. Melanie Wong. Special thanks go to Dr. Victoria Walter, Sunnybrook Hospital, for all that she did to help ET in her final days. Ethel wanted to thank Noah Cappe and Keri West for surprising her at her home with their visit, flowers, and cake on her 99th birthday. She also wanted to thank Andrew Springer for taking such good care of her. Finally, ET wanted to thank Jeff Carter of Hunters Bay Radio for his friendship and for giving her the opportunity to host her own weekly radio show from 91 to 99.9 years of age, produced by Jamie Oppenheimer. Episode #437 of MARTINI MUSIC with ET aired just 6 days prior to her passing.
Ethel will be remembered for her deep love and devotion to her family, her fabulous, infectious laughter, her love of all animals, the joy she received from feeding the chipmunks, chickadees, and nuthatches out of her hands, and watching the ducks, raccoons, beavers, and deer at Little Doe Lake. ET will be deeply missed by her loving, devoted family, her beloved caregivers and nurses, her fellow Hunters Bay Radio, The Bay “88.7FMily” members, and her worldwide radio show fans. Ethel was laid to rest at Dawes Road Cemetery on December 6th, beside her beloved Sydney and son, Dean Jordan Taylor. A private Shiva will be observed, following the Sabbath, in the Almaguin Highlands.
Donations may be made in Ethel Taylor’s name to the Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, 705-732- 6368 or bit.ly/4ilA5iy or Hospice Huntsville, bit.ly/3ZkqxM5

Saturday November 30 2024

benjamins park memorial chapel

Death notice for the town of: Toronto, Province: Ontario

death notice Ethel Taylor Saturday November 30 2024

obituaries notice Ethel Taylor Saturday November 30 2024

We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Ethel Taylor Saturday November 30 2024  and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.