Harriet Taylor

Harriet Hollingsworth Symons was born at home, at 3303 Peck, San Pedro, 24 October 1922, to William Edmund Symons (born England) and Bessie Merle Hollingsworth (born Iowa). Her mother was pleased with Harriet's beautiful red hair.

Harriet had the distinction of living her entire life within a 10-mile radius of where she was born.

Harriet had 1 sibling, her older sister, Eleanor Grace Symons. She preceded Harriet in death at the age of only 58.

She attended schools in San Pedro - Point Fermin Elementary, Dana Jr High, San Pedro High School, and Cosmetology College.

She studied Latin and Spanish, etc., her first love being singing in choirs, solos, duets, musicals. She was a contralto/mezzo soprano and sang in the Newman Ensemble, comprised of 12 young girls.'

During WWII, Harriet and her friend, Loma Taunt, sang for the troops aboard military ships, docked in the LA Harbor, for their Sunday worship services.

Her father owned a grocery store on 10th and Pacific, which helped during the depression.

One of her best high school friends was Gladyce Ruthe Brown. Gladyce introduced Harriet to her older brother, Bill, an identical twin. Later when she visited the Brown home, she wasn't sure which twin she had met.

Harriet and Bill (William Ellsworth Brown) married June 29, 1941, when she was 18 and he was 21. They shared a beautiful marriage for 40 years, until he passed away in 1983.

They enjoyed square dancing, ballroom dancing (Veloz and Yolanda courses), won dance contests, appeared on the Al Jarvis show, Catalina vacations, traveling and golf.

They had four children, Lenore (Mrs. Travis Guest), Donald (Darlene Hearn-Brown), Carol (Mrs. Fred Bagwell), and Joanne (Mrs. Greg King).
Harriet has 16 grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren, and by February of 2020, 3 great great grandchildren.

Five years after Bill passed away, Harriet married Dan Taylor, whom she had known since elementary school. They married 23 September 1988. Dan passed away in March of 2014, at the age of 93. They shared a great sense of humor, traveled and played golf.

Harriet had a volunteering spirit as evidenced by her many ffiliations: Delta Chi Chapter Sorority of Beta Sigma Phi, Jobs Daughters, PTA president of Leland Elementary, 1984 LA Olympics. Harriet was a charter member of a local women's golf club. For many years, she was a member of the San Pedro Republican Women Federated. She held many offices in the Women's Fellowship of The Neighborhood Church. She typed sermons on her electric typewriter, stuffed bulletins every Friday morning for years, worked her heart out for the church's annual Yule Parlour Parade.

Up to the very end, Harriet had a unique, quick-witted sense of humor. She was known for her friendliness to everyone, even strangers became her instant friends, and she was tough and resilient.

We give special thanks to her caregivers who loved and cared for her since May 2019.