Ruth Elaine Mattson Taylor

Ruth Elaine Mattson Taylor October 14, 1922 August 5, 2013 Cape Elizabeth, ME- Ruth Elaine Mattson Taylor, 90, formerly of South Portland, died on August 5, 2013 at her residence. She was born in St. James, MN., on Oct. 14, 1922, a daughter of Rev. Alvin D. and Freda A. (Anderson) Mattson. When Ruth was five years old, the family moved to West Haven. CT. Her family later moved to East Orange, NJ and to Rock Island. Illinois. Ruth attended schools there, graduating from Rock Island High School in 1939, and from Augustana College in 1943, earning her B.A. degree in psychology and chemistry. While still in college, Ruth trained as a spectro-chemist at the Rock Island Arsenal metallurgical laboratory under Charles Guettel, one of the pioneers in the field. She was later employed by the Caterpillar Tractor Company in Peoria, Illinois, to set up the spectro-chemical laboratory in their metallurgical department. A few years later, she left Caterpillar to pursue graduate studies in industrial psychology at the University of Wisconsin. In 1948, Ruth married Harold V. Taylor, a network producer for ABC in Chicago, and moved to Evanston, Illinois, where she continued her graduate studies at Northwestern University, earning her Master of Science degree in Industrial Psychology in 1949. Their son Bruce M. Taylor was born in 1950, and their daughter Lynne I. Taylor in 1952. In 1956 the Taylors moved to Scarsdale, New York. Ruth turned to one facet of her training in industrial psychology and established an advertising management business, serving as advertising director for national religious journals. For over forty years she served as advertising director for many denominational and interfaith publications. Following in the footsteps of her father A.D. Mattson, who was on the faculty of Augustana Seminary, she developed an interest in spirituality and the paranormal that led to the publication of two books on the subject - Witness from Beyond and Evidence from Beyond. Residents of South Portland since 1980, the Taylors were members of St. Ansgar Lutheran Church in Portland, where Ruth was a member of the choir and served on the Church Council. After the death of her husband Harold, Ruth provided transportation to Sunday services for an elderly friend who was a member of First Congregational Church, UCC in South Portland. In 1991 Ruth became a member of that church community, and at various times served on the Board of Christian Education, Lay Ministry, and Small Group Ministries. Ruth was predeceased by her husband, Harold V. Taylor, who died in 1989; by her mother Freda Anderson Mattson, who died in 1960; her father, Rev. A.D. Mattson, who died in 1970; and, her only brother, Rev. Alvin D. Mattson, Jr., who died in 1971. She is survived by her son Bruce M. Taylor of Woodbridge, VA; her daughter, Lynne I. Taylor of Marysville, WA; her granddaugh1er, Sarah E. Taylor of Burlington, VT; her grandson, Eric T. Taylor of Woodbridge, VA; and many other dear relatives and friends. Services will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday August 12 at the First Congregational Church in South Portland. Arrangements are under the care of A.T. Hutchins Funeral & Cremation Services, Portland.

Ruth Elaine Mattson Taylor

October 14, 1922 - August 5, 2013

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