Obituary of Taylor R.D., L.D., Barbara Ruth (Luther)

Barbara Ruth Luther Taylor, R.D., L.D., 87, of Dallas, passed away on Friday, May 4, 2018. Born to Edwin M, and Ruth O. Luther, on January 11, 1931 in Hartford Connecticut, Barbara’s youth was spent living in Connecticut, Kentucky, and Texas. She attended junior high and high school in Highland Park, graduating from Highland Park High School in 1948. In high school, she was as a member of the Highland Fling Dancers. With five Barbaras in her school, she adopted the nickname “Bobbie.” Barbara graduated from Texas Women’s University in 1952 with a Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Dietetics. She completed her dietetic internship at Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tennessee, before returning to Dallas to work and complete her Master’s degree in Nutrition in 1957. Barbara was a member of the Timothy Class at HPPC, where she met and married H. Lyndon Taylor. They married at HPPC on November 24, 1956, on the Saturday between Thanksgivings that year. Barbara taught Clinical Dietetics at Parkland Hospital in Dallas until the family moved to Austin in 1963. In Austin, she returned to work providing personal diet counseling for children and families at the request of the family pediatrician. She continued individual diet counseling for doctors of the Austin Diagnostic Clinic. As her children grew, Barbara also worked as Staff Dietitian at St David’s Hospital in Austin. She then became a Lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin in the Home Economics Department in Food Systems Management. For approximately 10 years, she taught the Quantity Foods Laboratory among her several teaching assignments. The Quantity Foods Lab included a Thursday luncheon served to the faculty and staff of the Home Economics Department and guests, which was a well-attended activity. Her faculty assignment also included assisting and reviewing student post graduate Dietetic internship application packets. She designed and implemented the Coordinated Undergraduate Program (CUP) as an alternative for internships for obtaining hands-on experience. Her next position was Director of Nutrition Services with the Texas Department of Health until 1981, when she returned to Dallas with Lyndon. After a chance encounter at Presbyterian Hospital (Main) in Dallas, Barbara accepted the position of the Director of Dietetic Internship and In-Service Education. She spent the next 25 years developing the program and teaching future dietitians the multifaceted roles and opportunities of clinical and administrative dietitians. Barbara truly enjoyed working with the many students that participated in the ‘Presby’ Internship. Barbara worked with many community groups, including her daughter’s Girl Scout troops. She was the instructor of choice for all food and cooking badges, and menu planning education. She made several presentations to the Austin community on diet and nutrition as an active member of the Austin Dietetic Association, Texas Dietetic Association (TDA) (President from 1968-69, Secretary and Program Chair), and American Dietetic Association (chair for several national programs). During her tenure as TDA President, she fostered an improved relationship between TDA and the Texas Restaurant Association (TRA). Many joint activities were held. Barbara and Lyndon had the opportunity to take several international trips. For their honeymoon in 1956, they traveled to Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. They visited France and Switzerland with friends from the Dallas area, and for their 50^th Wedding Anniversary they visited Australia and New Zealand. Barbara also joined Lyndon on Dallas Men’s Rotary Chorus tours in the United States and Nova Scotia. Barbara sang with the Women’s Rotary Chorus and with Lyndon in the Highland Park Presbyterian Church Choir. Since their return to Dallas, Barbara and Lyndon have been active members of several Sunday Classes including the Highlander Class (serving as president), Discussions Group C, and most recently the John McCoy Class. Barbara assisted in obtaining class teachers for the McCoy class and other class activities. Barbara has been a great advocate and cheerleader for her alma mater TWU. She has served in various positions in the TWU Former Students Association (President of the TWU Alumni Association from 2004-2008, TWU Alumni Association committees from 2004-2008), and its Dallas chapter, (President, Vice President, and active member of the TWU Alumni Dallas Chapter throughout her lifetime). Barbara was a 1988 distinguished alumnus, a very active participant in organizing and making preparations for many TWU Homecomings (Chair, TWU Homecoming 2007), and a Life Time member of the TWU Former Students Association. One of Barbara's TWU classmates and colleagues said, "Bobbie was a loyal and vocal Tessie." Barbara participated in Toastmasters, the Pierian Book Club (President 2012–2014, and other positions) and the Rambouillet Club. Barbara was deeply loved by her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren and their families. Barbara and Lyndon served as PTSA President for the L C Anderson High School in Austin Texas. They attended ball games; dance recitals; drama productions; gymnastic programs and competitions; band, orchestra, and choir concerts; honors programs; scouting programs and events; and weddings. Barbara is survived by her husband of 61 ½ years, H Lyndon Taylor, and children Karen (Bruce) Hook, and Harmon. She is known affectionately as “Bobbie” to her grandchildren Margie (Nick) Dion, Bj Hook, and Daniel (Abbey) Hook and great granddaughters Katheryn Allen, Caylee Dion, and Eliza Hook. She is also survived by her niece, Kara Britt and family, and her cousins, including Burton (and wife Sally) Turner of Connecticut, and many other extended family, friends, and students. Services are scheduled for Monday, June 18, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. at Highland Park Presbyterian Church (3821 University, Dallas, Texas) in Wynne Chapel. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to be sent to the Texas Woman’s University Foundation (P.O. Box 425618 Denton, TX 76204) designated for the Barbara Luther Taylor Alumni Association Scholarship at TWU or the charity of your choice. Please leave the family condolences and share memories on this website.