Elsie Margaret Taylor, 95

Elsie Margaret Taylor, 95, of Whitefish, passed away peacefully on May 24, 2025. Born on June 30, 1929, in Butte to John B. Taylor and Catherine Hauck Taylor, Elsie achieved much as a mother, athlete, scholar, and citizen. 

She was the valedictorian of her Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin high school and continued on to graduate from the University of Montana with a B.A. in Mathematics in 1951. She married former husband, Dale McGarvey in August of that year. They settled in Kalispell where they raised four children. 

Elsie was an exceptional mother. From serving on the Hedges PTA and as a cub scout and brownie leader, to ensuring each child had a hot meal to return home to after the endless activities. Regardless of the hour, she always prioritized the well-being of her family. Elsie loved classical music, and she shared her passion for music with her children, teaching each of them to sing and play piano. She was an accomplished amateur pianist, playing various challenging pieces from the classical repertoire. She loved to attend the symphony and would travel wherever she lived, often bringing her children to listen to the music. 

Justice and community engagement was also important to Elsie, who was an active part of the Democratic Party and a generous philanthropist. She, along with other public minded citizens, organized an effort to win legislative and community support for the founding of the Flathead Valley Community College, established in 1967. In 1973, Elsie served as the acting chair of the Montana State Reapportionment Commission, and she was appointed and served with distinction as the first chair of the Montana Human Rights Commision in 1974. She passed this passion on to her family and would often spend hours discussing politics with them.

She was an avid outdoorswoman; she frequently hiked, camped, backpacked, and rafted in Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Sperry Chalet in Glacier was her favorite place. She made many trips to visit along with family, even traveling to the chalet for the last time at 80 years old. Elsie was also a competitive racewalker. She began training with centurion Larry O'Neil, who encouraged her to compete on a national level. In 1978, age 49, Elsie became the first American woman to complete a 100-mile race walk in under 24 hours, finishing in 22 hours, 52 minutes, and 31 seconds. She repeated the feat two years later. 

Elsie then enrolled in a doctoral program in neurophysiology at the University of Washington. Her principal research area, for which she earned her PhD in 1996, was gestational diabetes—the effects of maternal nutrition during pregnancy on subsequent generations of progeny. With her advisor, Dr. Jaime Diaz, she published evidence that she had discovered through experiments showing the epigenetic transmission of these effects. She continued to expand her education throughout her life and enjoyed reading research and attending lectures where she met her longtime partner, Martin Meyers.

Elsie was strong, determined, intelligent, kind, silly, and creative. But above all, Elsie was a giver. She adored her children and grandchildren and helped to promote in them a love of learning, appreciation of music, and a love and awe of the natural world. For her memorial she asked her family to sing the canon "What does the Lord require of me? To walk humbly, seek justice, love kindness." These words from the book of Micah reflected her deepest beliefs and the values she instilled in all of her family. 

This kind and brilliant woman had an impact on all she touched. We all admire the life she led, and we miss her greatly. 

She is survived by her sister, Ellen Murray, son, John McGarvey, grandson, Ryan McGarvey, son, Allan McGarvey (Valeri), granddaughter, Betsy McGarvey Cummings (CJ), great-grandson, Brody Cummings, great-grandchild, Jamie, granddaughter, Kathleen McGarvey, great-grandson, Arthur Lechable, great-granddaughter, Adele Lechable, Erin McGarvey (Dan Neely), great-grandchild, Sally Neely, great-grandchild, Sam Neely, son, Michael McGarvey (Vonda), grandchild, Alder Grey McGarvey, daughter, Margaret Henderson (Mike), granddaughter, Catie Cohenour (Kyle), and grandchild, Buck Henderson. 

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for the family.