Valorie Taylor
March 31, 1954-Aug. 12, 2026
Atlanta, Georgia
Valorie Taylor (March 31, 1954 - August 12,) passed away peacefully after a short stay in hospice in Atlanta, GA.
Born in Detroit, MI, Valorie, an only child, moved with her family to Palo Alto CA, at the age of 10. Her parents Dr. Louis Taylor, college administrator and professor, and Stenetta Crayton Taylor, first black elementary teacher in the PAUSD, were both educators which shaped Val’s love of teaching. They were members of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Palo Alto.
Val attended Ray Lyman Wilbur Junior High School (now JLS Middle School) and Henry M Gunn High School In Palo Alto. She attended Harvard University and graduated with degrees in both chemistry and Italian. Val also was accepted to Julliard’s post graduate program in New York City which she declined.
After college, Val worked in Northern California for 18+ years as a chemist at several pharmaceutical companies, most notably Syva Corporation in Palo Alto.
Val was an accomplished cellist, performing with the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra which toured both the US and Canada. Later, she performed with several Bay Area community orchestras. She was also the primary substitute for both the San Francisco Symphony and the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra. After relocating to Atlanta, GA, Val performed with the Atlanta Musician’s Orchestra. She studied ‘cello with several prominent teachers in the Bay Area including members of the SF Symphony, at Stanford University, at Harvard and in Berkeley. Val was also a ‘cello teacher in both the SF Bay Area and Atlanta.
Val’s love of music showed up early for her as she was the president of the Palo Alto Beatles fan club and attended their last touring concert at Candlestick Park in 1966. In addition, Val also played the viola, trained in track and field shot put and performed as a belly and jazz dancer. She was proficient in many fields and taught Tai Chi for many years.
Val relocated from the Bay Area to Atlanta in 1995 and lived in the metro area until Her passing.
Valorie will be laid to rest at Alta Mesa Memorial Park in Palo Alto, CA.
Tags: arts/media, teacher/educator