Marion was a good friend and premier professional inspiration to me. “Marions” are rare. My own, (then Floridian) mom, was also a Marion. Not a common name really.

Marion Taylor, who I volunteered with for decades, had a genuine positive attitude about getting things done. Finding out that in order to get the Bridge of Flowers “saved” in the 1980s we needed to form a non-profit organization, and she just up and did it. “Bridge of Flowers INC” was formed.

The bridge got saved thanks to her initiative. Showed me by her example time and time again. She also nourished myself and her friends with an accompanying positive attitude and smiling gracious encouragement.

I witnessed her willingness to initiate time and time again. She taught me to be bold at times knowing, she said, “that if you don’t Michael, then who will?”

In the early 90s, I think it was, when maybe, the likes of Ed Smith, Bernie Shippee, and Ruth Truesdall were Buckland’s “select-MEN”, Marion explained to me that the town of Buckland was not going to go after any EOCD, (Mass Executive Office of Communities and Development) grant that could improve the village, and that I ought to secure a (then paper) pre-application and submit it to the SELEX for their signature. Who me?

The long and short of it is that we now have a decent lighted sidewalk from the Iron Bridge all the way down to John Malley Park and the Shelburne Falls Mill. Previously it was a much narrower frost heaved sidewalk with a chain link fence falling on it. Having witnessed young mothers with their baby carriages walking in the road, it seemed a reasonable request to try to get it done.

I always enjoyed, valued, and appreciated the ”partnering” that we shared for those decades back in the day. Honestly, there are several success stories that I recall. And if I had to boil it down to one simple Marionization summation and one simple recommendation to the next generation, it would be to understand that one person, (alone oftentimes, and with doubters and naysayers all around, can and should initiate because, as Marion said so many times, “who else will do it?” Thank you, Marion Taylor.

Michael McCusker

Buckland