Biography
Tamara Jones Taylor was born in 1957 and grew up in South Ogden, Utah where she lived for the first 19 years of her life. Just after she graduated from Bonneville High School she met the handsome Stephen Taylor. They have been married now for 42 years. They raised 8 children together – 7 boys and 1 daughter. They lived in Utah, California, and Arizona before moving home to South Ogden when they bought Tammy’s childhood home from her mother. Tamara is Grammy Tammy to 29 and ½ babies. She keeps busy in her church, her gardens, and doing artwork of all kinds. She is never happier than when she is making something beautiful. She loves music and plays the piano and organ and taught piano lessons for many years. But the thing she loves best is making memories with her family.
Read her 3-minute speech on “What Being A Mother Means to Me”
Parenting Philosophy
- Give more hugs than scolds.
- Teach children to love reading. If a child can read they can do anything else. Reading is key to life.
- Teach children to use their imaginations. Children should have lots of time to do nothing. They should have time to be bored. Their lives should not be so structured that they never have to imagine things to do. Provide tools: books, art supplies, wood, ropes, string, anything they need to make projects, invent games, and set their minds free.
- Teach children to work. Children should be taught to do their part for their family. Even young children can be taught to pick up toys, dust shelves, load dishwashers, etc. They should be taught the feeling of peace that having a clean home brings and they should know the wonderful feeling that comes from accomplishing something. The ahhhh feeling of standing back and looking at the results of their hard work. One of the most important life lessons they can learn.
- Teach children to serve others. Getting through your own difficulties in life is made easier when you help someone else get through theirs.
- Teach them to love God and to know they are loved by God. Children must understand that they are not an evolutionary accident but an original Divine Design of a loving Heavenly Father.
- Teach children to love and serve their country. They need to understand the responsibilities which come with the freedoms they enjoy.
2020 Honoree Tamara Taylor receiving proclamation from Rhonda Perkins from the Office of Congressman Chris Stewart
Motherhood and Community
- For many years my workplace environment was less than enjoyable. Our administration recognized that morale was low and encouraged employees to create a committee to give them input about problems. I was very unhappy working at the time and had historically chosen to isolate myself – just do my work and go home. I saw this as an opportunity to make a difference in the hostile environment. So I stepped out of my comfort zone and, with a few other employees, created the morale committee. Progress was slow but gradually, policies and mind sets changed. Our little morale committee morphed into a Wellness Council which is now part of a program promoted by the State Insurance company for all state employees. Our workplace has changed dramatically but more importantly, I changed. My decision to stop complaining about the situation and do what I could to improve it had a large impact on my physical and mental well being.
- I became a member of the Relief Society when I got married. This organization is the women’s group of the church I attend and its mission is to give relief to those in need. My membership in this society has given me many opportunities to serve others in various capacities, but, more important, are the things learned from the women I associated with. From learning how to do laundry to the joys of gardening, I can say that I have been tutored in every aspect of my life by the wonderful friends and sisters have I met there.
- A few years ago I was given the opportunity to become the organist for our congregation. I was terrified. I spent hours and hours at the church practicing. Over time, I became better and even taught myself to sing as I play so that I wouldn’t have to give that up. It has been very rewarding experience discovering that I can still learn new things and feeling the satisfaction of improving. It is also very enjoyable knowing that my small contribution enriches the worship experience for those in the congregation.
Tamara Taylor personal display at Gala
Letter of Recommendation
Tamara always taught her children the importance of faith in God no matter the hardship or circumstances. Her faith and belief in God never wavered or weakened, despite significant hardships and challenges. She led her children in daily scripture study, song and prayer. Although this was not always appreciated at the time, she set an example of what commitment and obedience should be.
With eight children (and especially 7 boys) fights and arguments where common place in the Taylor household. She used these opportunities to teach and instill in her children the importance of family. She would often say, to the response of groans and rolled eyes, that “your siblings will be your best friends when you grow up.” This was a tough lesson to learn following a fight or heated argument, as we liked to call them.
When you look at the life that Tamara Taylor has lived, she has shown devotion in all aspects of it. There are five words that describe our mother, Service, Sacrifice, Faith, Perseverance and Patriotism. We are truly grateful to be able to call Tamara Taylor our Mother.