Marshall Mason Taylor – 50th Reunion Essay

Marshall Mason Taylor

285 Bellefontaine St.

Pasadena, California 91105

marshall.taylor@dlapiper.com

626-825-4474

Spouse(s): Judth F. Taylor

Child(ren): Bryan D. Taylor(1977), Brendan J. Taylor (1980), Courtney A. Taylor (1982)

Grandchild(ren): Malachy (2010), Taliesin (2011), Matilda (2014) and Siobhan (2017), all ftrom Bryan Taylor

Education: Yale, BA, 1969, UCLA, JD, 1974

National Service: Technically, US Army. June, 1967- June, 1968 ROTC with 3 days of active duty.

Career: 2 years at Irving Trust, Real estate and project finance lawyer (LA) at Lillick, Pillsbury and DLA 44 years

Avocations: American History, gun collecting, American Silver and antique furniture

College: Silliman

To quote my favorite group, “playing in the band,” I have had a relatively successful career as a real estate and project finance lawyer, doing deals across the United States and in Europe and failed deals in India, Mexico, and China. I have been based in Los Angeles for my entire career, but with lots of traveling for various time periods. In my spare time, I also bought and restored an 1870 residence in Virginia, which my great grandfather built after the Civil War and was sold out of his estate in 1903, with the estate valued, after paying debts, at $200. I paid a lot more in 2003.

The joy and happiness in my life, with the normal growing pains of bringing kids (including myself) to maturity, has been my family whom my wife of 44 years, Judy, and I started and raised, with now four grandkids. I have also become the keeper of the family history for the entire family including my two brothers, nieces and nephews, and second and third cousins. It appeals to my love of history and family. I have been very fortunate in that I and my family have avoided any long-term and serious diseases or injuries. I have seen those events overwhelm so many people. I have also been very lucky in never losing the joy of learning and exploring.

In preparing this essay, I also went to the list of deceased classmates and upon reading that list, the names brought back moments of joy and great fun from road trips, too much beer, some studying, and great conversations. Who of us can forget Mike Dunn leading the Yale Marching Band at the Bowl as the drum major? Still amazes me how he was able to lean that far back! It also brought the sadness that I did not keep in contact with such good people that we shared so much with.

While I still actually remember and use some of the things we learned in college, it was the openness and acceptance of new ideas and respect for people that stayed with me. We could certainly not like people and we could disagree with them, but we learned respect for them. I feel in the present climate the ideals that Yale taught us has been lost in the concept of “political correctness.” However, from a history perspective, I am not aware of any country that spends so much time trying to improve itself.

To modify another line from the Grateful Dead: “what a long wonderful trip it has been.”