Margo Johnson-Taylor, RN, age 86, a beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, cousin, friend and dedicated community leader, transitioned peacefully at home on Friday, March 28, 2025. She was born on Feb. 27, 1939, to her beloved parents Ernest O. and Elsie (Freeman) Johnson.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest and Elsie; her sisters, Natalie Johnson Moore and Maybelle Johnson; her brother, Ernest O. “Buddy” Johnson, Jr.; and her son, Scott David Taylor.
Margo was a lifetime resident of New Haven and a proud graduate of James Hillhouse High School. She pursued her passion for nursing, earning a degree from the Massachusetts General Hospital School of Nursing in Boston, Mass., and later obtaining her BS degree from Southern Connecticut State University.
A renaissance woman in her own right, here in New England, Margo dedicated her entire professional nursing career to Yale-New Haven Hospital, where she served in various roles, including Staff Nurse, Assistant Nurse Manager, and Nurse Manager. At the time of her retirement in 1999, she was a Clinical Nurse II. In recognition of her more than three decades of service to the women of New Haven County, a patient area of the Women’s Center at Yale-New Haven Hospital was dedicated in her honor. In 1991, she was awarded a proclamation by the City of New Haven for her 23 years as Nurse Manager of the Women’s Center.
Beyond her nursing career, Margo was a pillar in her community, serving on numerous boards and committees, including the Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC), Planned Parenthood League of New Haven, and the NAACP Health Advisory Committee. She was a strong advocate for Black business and professional women, participating in the New Haven County Women’s Roundtable Series. A dedicated member of several organizations, including The Links, Inc., The Girl Friends, Inc., and the Greater New Haven African-American Historical Society; she was a past vice president of the Greater New Haven Branch of the NAACP.
Margo’s commitment to nursing was recognized with numerous accolades, including the Minority Nurses Recognition Award from the Central Connecticut Black Nurses Association and the Mary E. Mahoney Award for outstanding service and dedication. She was also honored to be one of the founding members of the Southern Connecticut Black Nurses Association (SCBNA).
After retiring from Yale-New Haven Hospital, Margo continued her passion for education by teaching parenting courses at Hillhouse High School. She remained a lifelong learner, auditing courses at SCSU, and was an active member of the Dixwell-Newhallville Seniors Club. She also was a licensed real estate broker.
Margo was deeply involved with Dixwell Avenue Congregational United Church, of Christ since the age of five, where she later served in various leadership roles, including Church Historian (Chairwoman), Church Moderator, Chairwoman of the Social Action Committee, Sunday School teacher, and Finance Board member.
Her contributions were widely recognized. She was honored by the Dixwell Men’s Network for her dedication, named one of the Recognized Women by the Connecticut Women of the United Church of Christ, and received the Legendary Women’s Award from The Perfect Blend.
She was a Life Member of the New Haven Chapter of Girl Friends Incorporated, one of the oldest and most highly respected social organizations of African American women in the United States and held multiple positions, including President, Parliamentarian, Historian and Chatterbox Editor after joining the membership in 1986.
In 2024, Margo was honored as a Platinum Member at The Links, Inc., CT Cluster Founders Day Celebration in recognition of her dedicated service since 1976. Throughout her tenure with the New Haven Chapter, she held various leadership roles, including President, Vice President, Corresponding Secretary, and Historian.
Margo and her beloved husband, Reuben Taylor, celebrated 65 years of marriage on March 26, 2025. She was a devoted mother to Lisa Taylor and the late Scott Taylor, a cherished grandmother to Dr. Tiana Taylor Shabazz (Mustafa Shabazz) and Scott Taylor II, and a great-grandmother to Nazir Mustafa Shabazz, Zakir Mustafa Shabazz and Scott David Taylor III. She also leaves behind loving friends, nieces, nephews, godchildren and cousins with a special blessing for her niece and devoted caregiver, Kathryn Nelson Hagen.
The family is deeply grateful for the compassionate care provided by the medical staffs at Yale-New Haven Hospital, Ark Healthcare & Rehabilitation at Branford Hills, Hamden Rehabilitation & Health Care Center, and Constellation Hospice Health Services during Margo’s final months.
Margo Johnson-Taylor was a class act and her legacy was one of love and grace. She treated everyone with kindness and respect, and her dedication to her community and family will be deeply missed but always cherished.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Monday, April 7, 2025 at 12:00 PM at Dixwell Avenue Congregational UCC, 217 Dixwell Ave., New Haven, CT 06511. Friends may call from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the church. Interment will follow in Evergreen Cemetery, New Haven. Services by Howard K. Hill Funeral Services, 1287 Chapel St., New Haven, CT 06511. To leave a message of comfort for the family, please visit www.hkhfuneralservices.com