Taylor Carlin joined Rockford Rotary on September 4, 2004. He was a Paul Harris Fellow and was an active club member until the last month or so when his health force him to miss meetings. Taylor was a retired Financial Executive and was involved with many committees of Rockford Rotary especially where money and finances were concerned. Rest in peace fellow Rotarian.
Taylor Carlin, 87, died peacefully on October 21 after a brief illness. He was born in Montreal to Francis (Frank) Carlin and Audrey Taylor. He attended Selwyn House School and Lower Canadian College before enrolling in McGill University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business and became a chartered accountant. After beginning his career as an accountant in Montreal, he moved his young family to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he earned an MBA in finance at the University of Michigan.
Taylor’s illustrious career in corporate finance included serving as VP of finance for Pepsi-Cola Company and as CFO of Anchor Hocking. He also held leadership positions at Faberge and Owens Corning Fiberglass. In 1990, his career led him to Rockford, Illinois, where he became CFO of Amcore Financial, a position he held until 1995. Following his retirement from Amcore, he served as chairman of Rockford Bank & Trust and as interim CEO of Rockford Health System.
In 1980, Taylor met Susan Skorski in Purchase, NY; the two married in 1984. Their years together were marked by adventures near and far - hiking the American Southwest (Arches, Canyonlands, Catalina Mountains) and traveling widely in Europe. London and Paris were favored destinations, but they equally enjoyed off-path locales such as Côte D'Azur, Brittany and the Languedoc.
Generosity was a hallmark of Taylor’s life: He freely shared time, counsel and resources to better the community and the lives of individuals. He chaired the boards of Keith Country Day School and Rockford Health System and was an active member of the Rotary Club of Rockford. To the many who sought his advice in business and life, he offered the gifts of good listening, sharp analysis and diplomatic candor.
Taylor was a natural athlete who competed in over two dozen sports throughout his life - among them golf, distance running, platform tennis and dogsled driving. He spent many summers at Balsam Lake in the Laurentian Mountains outside of Montreal; and in Kennebunkport, Maine, a place he later shared with his children and grandchildren. (They happily remember days at Goose Rocks Beach, walks to the General Store and games at the Pitch and Putt.)
Taylor was enormously proud of his family. He is survived by his adored wife of 40 years, Susan Carlin; children Sara Carlin Baxter (Michael), Christopher Carlin (Lisa), Stephen Carlin (Jennifer), and Andrew Carlin (Cecily); grandchildren Audrey, Benjamin, Whitney, Claire, Jordan, Allison, Jack, Ellie, Nicholas and Elsie; sister Nan Carlin; and cherished cousins and their families. He was preceded in death by daughter Pamela Carlin Reddan (Mike); and his parents.
A celebration of Taylor Carlin’s life will be held at the Rockford Country Club on Wednesday, November 20, 2024 from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. with a time of sharing at 5:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the healthcare nonprofit Crusader Community Health (CrusaderHealth.org) or Milestone, Inc, 4060 McFarland Rd., Loves Park, IL 61111.