Barbara Elizabeth “Betty” Taylor, nee Maclennan (1915 – 2010)
Betty Maclennan was born in Dawson to Alexander and Alice Maclennan. The family moved to Mayo when she was young.1) When she was seven, her father bought her a piano and paid fifty cents a week for lessons from Sister Mary Rose Eva, and later she had lessons from Claude Tidd.2)
Betty met her future husband Charlie Taylor in Mayo where she was the organist for the Anglican Church. They married in 1936, and raised three children. The family moved to Whitehorse in 1942 so Charlie could look after the Taylor and Drury Ltd. business.3)
Betty was on the Parent Teacher’s Association and was chair of the Christ Church Cathedral Church Board. The Taylors helped develop tennis and cross-country skiing and they received the 1984 Commissioner’s Award for their contributions to the Yukon. They were named Mr. and Mrs. Yukon in 1986. Betty climbed the Chilkoot Pass on her 65th birthday to commemorate her father’s trip into the Yukon.4)