Paulett L. Taggart

Paulett Long Taggart died peacefully on January 12, 2022 at Carleton-Willard Village in Bedford, Mass.  Born June 23, 1922 in Richmond, Virginia to Harriett “Hattie” Paulett Long and Raymond Victor Long, Paulett developed a life-long love of Virginia while growing up in Richmond with her beloved older brother Raymond. Paulett’s dramatic instincts were recognized and encouraged by her mother at an early age, and by age three Paulett was already performing, reciting poetry while standing on the living room coffee table, followed by her acting in her first play at age five.

During high school at St Catherine’s School, Paulett continued to develop as an actress, with leading roles such as Rosalyn ( As You Like It) , and Queen Guinevere. At Sweet Briar College she majored in Drama, where she performed her favorite role as Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing before graduating in 1944. A Stanislavski quote she learned at Sweet Briar became a guiding principle for Paulett’s acting career and life: “Love the art in yourself, not yourself in the art.”

At Sweet Briar, Paulett met her husband, Ganson Powers Taggart, who was training in Virginia after enlisting in the U.S. Navy.  They were married in Richmond in 1945 and subsequently moved to San Diego, CA where Ganson was stationed as a naval officer.

In 1947, Paulett and Ganson decided to settle in Winchester, MA where they raised three daughters and owned a home until 2006.  From 1965 to 1970, they moved their family overseas to The Hague in the Netherlands.  Both in Winchester and in The Hague, in addition to raising her three daughters, Paulett was very active as a volunteer in the community, especially in the theater realm, but also in other areas such as at the Winchester Hospital and Unitarian church, and as the President of the American Women’s Club in the Hague. Her theater involvement included many acting roles in Winchester Unitarian Society plays; performing in community benefits such as the annual Winton Club Show; and teaching creative dramatics and directing plays at both elementary and high school levels.

After her return to Winchester in 1970, she pursued her interest in teaching drama first with graduate work at Emerson College, then with her mentor Saphira (then Barbara) Linden of the Theater Workshop Boston, and finally launching her own program, the Winchester Drama Workshop. Through the Winchester Drama Workshop, Paulett taught classes in improvisational acting and other creative dramatic skills to middle school students and yoga to seniors in the newly opened Jenks Senior Center. Her innovative yoga class involved the introduction of other mind/body practices as well, such as meditation, Pilates, Feldenkrais, and Reiki healing. Taught by Paulett until her mid-80’s, her Jenks Center class had a devoted following and continues to this day. Paulett was also very involved at her UU church, including helping to develop lay-led services as part of the Worship Committee.

When Paulett and Ganson moved to Carleton Willard Village in Bedford, MA in 2006, she continued her drama activities acting in productions of the Carleton Willard Village Players and organizing weekly thespian social dinners. When asked at age 92 if she’d enjoyed being in the recent Carleton-Willard play, she responded, “I enjoy it more than anything else!” In addition to involvement in the theater, Paulett was a Reiki practitioner, gardener, and gracious hostess.

Paulett lived her life with a strong, determined spirit and courageous optimism which helped her keep moving forward despite life’s challenges. She was a deeply loving and devoted mother, helping her three daughters to pursue and cultivate their own interests and talents. She was dedicated to extended family as well, hosting many family gatherings, and as “Aunt Paulett,” making regular visits to her brother, nieces and nephew in Florida and Virginia a priority.

Paulett was predeceased by her husband Ganson (2007) and brother Raymond (2013). Paulett is survived by her three daughters: Harriett “Tee” Taggart (Jack Turner) of Cambridge, MA; Paulett Long Taggart (William Stout), of San Francisco, CA; and Cori V.C. Taggart of Eugene, OR., as well as her two grandchildren, two great grandchildren, and her nieces and nephew.

Anderson-Bryant Funeral Home of Stoneham, Mass. is handling the cremation arrangements, and a private interment service will be held at the Eastwood Cemetery in Lancaster, Mass.

Online condolences may be posted at Forever Missed https://www.forevermissed.com/ .  Enter Taggart” in the Find a Memorial box and click on Paulett Taggart to enter your tribute or memory.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at the Winchester Unitarian Society on Saturday, June 18th, 2022 at 2:00 pm

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Winchester Unitarian Society (478 Main St.; Winchester, MA 01890).