Molly Rae Maxwell Wilcox Taddeo, 82, died suddenly on February 27th in Florida following a brief illness.
Born March 10, 1938, in Mansfield, Ohio, Molly was the daughter of Leeta Ruhl Maxwell, a teacher, and Frank Hugh Maxwell, MD, an Army doctor who died in 1945 in Mindoro, the Philippines and the granddaughter of Louisa J Ruhl.
She grew up in Mansfield, attending local schools and was a member of the class of 1956 at Mansfield Senior High School. She attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where she pledged Delta Gamma Sorority. Graduating in 1960, she began her professional life as a teacher in Michigan but moved to California where she worked on the creation of the San Francisco BART system.
Soon she was drawn back to Mansfield to marry Tom Wilcox. After the birth of her two children, she returned to her teaching life in Mansfield Public Schools and retired from Brinkerhoff School after many successful years. Divorced for several years, she found happiness again when she married Nick Taddeo, a fellow classmate from MHS, in 1998.
While they kept a home on Hawthorne Lane in Mansfield, they moved to Florida many years ago and recently purchased an apartment at Lighthouse Point where she said she had found her dream home.
Molly was an avid reader who made liberal use of the library wherever she lived. She loved crossword puzzles and would spend hours solving the Sunday New York Times challenge without looking up answers on the internet (which she considered cheating). An avid golfer, she finally switched to Par 3 in her 70’s and had the distinction of winning local Par 3 Tournaments.
She had a talent for drawing and a remarkable memory. She was known and valued for her loyalty to others.
Beside her many friends, Molly is survived by her beloved husband, Nick, her daughter Kecia (Gary Morrow) from Maylene, AL, her son John Thomas Wilcox (Julie) of Mansfield, Ohio and three grandchildren, Emilie (Rusty) Cowley, Ryan (Katie), and Ian Morrow all of Alabama, and her sister Judith Maxwell Barrett of New York City.
She is also truly missed by her Taddeo family, Julie Taddeo Bauers, Chapel Hill, NC, John Taddeo, FT. Myers, FL, Lynne Taddeo Kjolso (Rikki), Seattle, WA and grandchildren Erienne (Matt) Patterson, Sophia, Rourke, Sam Bauers and Michael (Cody) Taddeo. Others who mourn include her brothers-in-law Tony Taddeo of North Carolina and Carl Taddeo of Mansfield.
A memorial for this remarkable woman will be held when the Covid 19 restrictions permit.
Donations in her memory can be made to Friends of the Library, 43 W 3rd St Mansfield, Ohio 44902 to help them continue their work to provide for the children of Mansfield.
