Mary Lou Oldham Taylor
Sept. 20, 1939-March 14, 2026
Palo Alto, California
Mary Lou Oldham (Judd) Taylor passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on March 14, 2026, at age 86.
Mary was born September 20, 1939, to Dr. Ernest Whitney Oldham and Ruth McBride Oldham. She was the second of four children, growing up as the doctor’s daughter in the small town of Coalville, Utah. After losing both parents by age 14, she and her older sister worked to keep the family together with the support of their small community.
Mary attended Utah State University, where she embraced college life as a strong student, cheerleader, and flag twirler. At 19, she married her high school sweetheart, Don Judd. Shortly after Don’s graduation and the birth of their first child, they moved to the Bay Area to begin their life in California.
Mary loved raising their three children, creating a home filled with imagination and adventure. She volunteered at their nursery school co-op, was a Cub Scout den mother, and drove her children to their many activities. Their home was lively with friends, unusual pets and an active neighborhood. She also welcomed a much loved foster daughter, Esther, into their family. Family life included backpacking and ski trips, visits to Utah, and trips to England and Hawaii. The kids knew to be home for dinner when the streetlights came on.
Mary returned to school, earning her bachelor’s degree and teaching credential from San José State University and Special Education credentials from Hayward State. She began her 29-year teaching career at Charles Armstrong School, later in the Santa Clara Unified School District, where she specialized in teaching students with learning disabilities and emotional challenges. She taught many years at Briarwood Elementary School and returned as a substitute after retirement.
With patience, commitment, and daily hugs for all, Mary opened her classroom early and stayed late, providing supplies, meals, and support so no child went without. It was a place of care and connection where students felt safe and encouraged to grow. She changed many lives and loved her students deeply.
After her divorce and the loss of her younger sister, Mary embraced life with curiosity and adventure. She traveled widely, visiting more than 25 countries. She was a devoted support to friends and family, helping during times of illness and loss. She opened her home to international students and interns and shared community with her neighbors. She volunteered with Friends of the Library and TheaterWorks, tutored children, and was known for her acts of kindness.
Mary enjoyed guitar and hula lessons, bike rides, crafts, and classes at Avenidas and the YMCA. Her Life Stories writing is cherished by her family. She especially loved spoiling her 5 grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, and the many children who called her “Grandma Mary.” She loved her home in Palo Alto, where she lived for nearly 60 years. She shared daily walks with her Labradoodle, Toby, her companion and best friend of 17 years. She hosted an annual Christmas Eve Soup Supper, and her homemade strawberry ice cream became a neighborhood block party tradition.
After being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and experiencing a stroke, she was lovingly cared for in her final years by her family and caregivers.
Mary will be remembered for her kindness, adventurous spirit, playful sense of style, and her love for her family, students, and community.
Mary is survived by her children: Bradley Judd and his daughter Megan; Alan Judd and his wife Julie and their son Jackson; Jennifer Judd Calvin and her husband Scott and their children Wesley, Judd, and Whitney; her sister, Meresa Judd; her former husband, Patrick Taylor; and many nieces and nephews.
Mary was predeceased by her younger sister, Susanne Woolstenhulme; her brother, Whitney Oldham; her foster daughter, Esther Nashio; and the father of her children, Donald Judd.
Tags: teacher/educator