Meredith Search Taylor

Meredith Search Taylor, age 98 years, longtime resident of Flemington, NJ, died peacefully on Monday, April 27, 2020 at Care One at Somerset Valley.

Born August 16, 1921 on the family farm in Kingwood Township, NJ, daughter of the late Martin and Amy Gordon Search, she was a lifelong area resident. Well known on Greenwood Place in Flemington, Meredith was the “Mom” of the neighborhood and provided a loving and caring persona for all the neighborhood kids growing up.

Graduating from Frenchtown High School in 1938, she worked for over 30 years as an assembler for RCA, Bridgewater, NJ, retiring in 1988.

Anyone who knew Meredith, knows that her hands could not remain idle for too long, so after ‘retirement’, she decided to take a new job, that of becoming a full time volunteer to serve her beloved community.

She first jumped in to volunteer for Senior Health Services, helping seniors with their income taxes, organizing many fun games (pinochle was her favorite), and crafting some lively senior bus trips. She would then go on to volunteer for the Hunterdon County Office on Aging, S.H.I.P., and the Flemington-Raritan Recreation Committee. In her spare time from all of this, she also served as Vice-President of the RCA Retirees Reunion Club.

Not stopping there, she became a champion for the Hunterdon County ARC, where she enjoyed chaperoning the ARC kids at one of her favorite pastimes, bowling. Bowling several ‘perfect’ games, she was a longtime member of the Spicy Seniors Bowling League in Frenchtown for over twenty-five years.

Some of her other activities and enjoyments included serving as a group leader for the Hunterdon Hills Playhouse, serving on the Flemington-Raritan Recreation Committee, attaining life membership status in the Flemington VFW Ladies Auxiliary, and becoming a life member of the VFW National Home for Children.

People have said that giving back was in Meredith’s blood, and in many ways that was an actual reality: she was also a member of the Rare Blood of America Group, donating 4 gallons of blood over her life to help others.

Meredith was also an avid NASCAR and dirt modified racing fan, and was a regular at the Flemington Speedway and Fairgrounds. She, along with Marshall, her beloved husband, and her boys, went every Saturday night to watch the races. Many lifetime friendships were made there and she considered Jimmy Horton and Rich Polenz to be her ‘adopted’ sons.

Always the doting mother, she never missed a softball game when her boys played, even in their adult years. She was an avid fan and very vocal at the games which a few times, got her ejected from the stands for arguing with the ump over his ‘wrong’ call. The boys still reminisce and laugh over those times.

She was an expert in crocheting and knitting, making over eighty large, beautiful afghans and over fifty lap robes in her lifetime.  Some were for her family and friends, but many were donated or raffled off to worthy causes, such as the Matheny School in Peapack, NJ, which is a special hospital and school for children and adults with medically complex developmental disabilities. Meredith wanted to make certain that everyone knew she took her needles with her to heaven, and is still making items for those in need. It was her wish and hope that those who remain, help her on Earth by giving back to the community in whatever way they able.

A woman of strong faith, Meredith was a life member of Three Bridges Reformed Church where she found hope and promise in God’s loving word that she would one day be in that place with all those who have gone before. No doubt, when she closed her eyes on Earth, she heard the words from Matthew 25: “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” Meredith, you will be missed, but your legacy of genuinely caring for others, and doing things to help others simply because it is the right thing to do, is something for us all to aspire to carry on in your name.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her cherished husband of forty-two years, Marshall L. Taylor, Sr. in 1992; two sons, Gordon McPeek in 1992 and Kenneth McPeek in 2007; as well as by two brothers and a sister.

Surviving are two sons, Marshall Lee Taylor, Jr. (Sandy Rynearson), and Jeffrey Taylor, which whom who she resided; two daughters-in-law, Gerry McPeek and Setsuko McPeek; eight grandchildren and their spouses, Bryan McPeek (Danielle), Jennifer McPeek (Mark), Kevin McPeek (Megan), Rory McPeek (Jessica), Patrick McPeek (Sara), Katie McPeek, Barry Rynearson (Norina), and Michelle Jordan (Jeff); fourteen great grandchildren; several extended family members; and many dear friends.

A public life celebration service is being planned at a later date under the care and direction of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Flemington, NJ. Please check back on this page for updated service information; again, the information will not be available until the restrictions are lifted.

***Complete funeral arrangements will be announced under the care and direction of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ. Due to the inability to have a public ceremony at this time, and knowing how vital the love of family, friends, and the community is when someone passes, everyone reading this is encouraged to leave a detailed note on this page—perhaps a favorite story, or maybe the way Meredith touched your heart—something to help inspire a measure of comfort and hope to all who read the comments.***

Please visit Meredith’s permanent memorial site at www.wrightfamily.com to light a memorial candle, leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection, and post photographs of her life.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Meredith’s memory may be made to the Hunterdon Medical Center Foundation, 9100 Wescott Drive, Flemington, NJ 08822 (online by clicking HERE) or to the Three Bridges Reformed  Church, 470 Main Street, Three Bridges, NJ 08887 (online by clicking HERE).

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