MaryLou Taylor, born August 21, 1945, in Renton, Washington, passed away on April 18, 2026, in Mesa, Arizona, following a short illness. She was 80 years, 7 months, and 28 days old.She was the daughte

MaryLou Taylor, born August 21, 1945, in Renton, Washington, passed away on April 18, 2026, in Mesa, Arizona, following a short illness. She was 80 years, 7 months, and 28 days old.She was the daughter of J. Bernard Beighley and Amy Beatrice (Newbury) Beighley, and was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Walter Beighley, and her sisters Arlene (Beighley) Roberts and Helen (Beighley) Kinney. With her passing, she was the last of her generation.MaryLou is survived by her children: Dawn (Taylor) Stanley and her husband Joel Stanley; Amy (Taylor) Van Riper and her husband Steven Van Riper; and her son Christopher Taylor. She is also survived by seven grandchildren: Geoffrey Stanley and his wife Elena, and Levi Stanley; Nicholas Van Riper and his wife Jessie, and Emma Van Riper; and Blade Taylor, Phoenix Taylor, and Calina Taylor; as well as two great-grandchildren, Ezekiel Stanley and Zoë Stanley, with another great-grandchild on the way—a blessing she had prayed for. She also leaves behind her former husband Calvin Ricks “Rick” Taylor, and a large extended family of cousins, nieces, nephews, and many dear friends.MaryLou married Rick Taylor in 1967 and, through his service in both the United States Army and the United States Air Force, spent years living across the western United States and overseas. These experiences sparked a lifelong love of travel that would define much of her life.In her professional life, she worked primarily as an administrative assistant in hospital settings and for federal contractors. In 2007, she retired, purchased an RV, and set out to explore the United States on her own terms. She eventually began spending her winters in Mesa, Arizona, and in 2012 made it her permanent home, drawn by the community and friendships she found there.She traveled to 34 countries, and her favorite way to see the world was from the deck of a cruise ship. A proud Carnival Cruise Line Diamond-level cruiser, she took an estimated 40 cruises over the years. She especially loved cruising with her daughters, her best friend Linda, and a circle of friends who shared her enthusiasm for life at sea.MaryLou had a sharp wit and a natural ability to make people laugh. She loved casinos, card games, and trivia—and she was good at all of them. She delighted in teaching her children and grandchildren how to play, from blackjack strategy to the finer points of craps. Even in her final days, she continued playing cards with her daughters—and winning—often declaring with a smile that she was “invincible.”Despite years of knee pain and, more recently, illness, MaryLou never let anything slow her down. She remained active, continued to travel, and approached life with resilience and a positive spirit.She lived life boldly, on her own terms, and made sure it was fun. Above all, her faith was central to who she was. The only things she loved more than traveling were her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren—and Jesus.If she were to leave one message, it would be this:“Know Jesus and take the cruise.”A gathering in her honor will be held in the fall of 2026 in Mesa, Arizona, when her northern friends return for the season.