Dutchess Delphia Sondra Long Houston Taylor was the first daughter born to Isaac Long and Kathrin Martin, the youngest daughter of the Barefoot Prophet of Harlem, Elder Clayton Martin.
Dutchess, or Sondra as she was known to most people all her life, was born prematurely in Harlem Hospital in springtime New York post-World War II.
Her early struggle as a premature baby coupled with her Catholic school elementary education while living on Decatur Street in Brooklyn provided the seed that sprouted her early desire to serve humanity through nursing. Family crises led Sondra to live in Moundville/Tuscaloosa Alabama the hometown of her father, Isaac. She was then raised by her grandparents Mattie Hopson Long and Robert Long. Via the family matriarch, Mattie, Sondra listened to and grew from her grandmother’s simple living and the wisdom of life experience. Mattie, who was not known to venture further than her home and yard, shared worldly wisdom with Sondra that she throughout her life shared with family, friends, fellow nurses and patients.
After graduating from Moundville public schools, Sondra returned to Hempstead, New York to live with her mother, now Kay Irby married to Edward Irby. In Hempstead, Sondra met and then married a former Marine, Thomas Houston. They returned to his hometown of the Bronx, New York where Sondra worked as a registered nurse, finally finding a professional home at Albert Einstein Hospital in the Morris Park section of the Bronx. At Einstein, Sondra flourished as an obstetrics and gynecologic charge nurse.
She was the hands that comforted and encouraged birthing mothers, cradled new life to excited and anticipating parents and consoled families who would not be going home with the child of their dreams. Throughout all this, Sondra worked diligently while facing her own fertility challenges. She was married eight years until on a clear blue-sky day in March, she gave birth to her only pregnancy and live birth, a daughter.
When encouraged to name her daughter after herself to recognize the arduous maternity journey Sondra had been on to conceive and deliver a child, she politely said, “Do not name her after me, she will have her own life.” Thus the parents named the baby, Sonia and soon moved to more comfortable circumstances in Co-op City in the Northeast section of the Bronx. Marital crises changed the composition of Sondra’s immediate family from three to two.
A few years later, Sondra met a colleague outside of nursing at the hospital for a date. Enjoying date with a man who could cook, one date became two. Then after two dates began a lifetime for Sondra when she married Gilbert Ulric Taylor. She followed him from the Bronx to Baldwin, Long Island and from Long Island to North Mrytle Beach, SC.
In North Myrtle Beach, Sondra lost the dream of bedside nursing as a result of developing polymyositis from taking statin medicines. However, what could have been an end to purpose and life transformed to an amazing next act. She found treatment success with a team of university medical doctors, support from her husband, neighbors, friends and her church at St. Stephen’s Episcopal. She began a career of giving her time, wisdom and presence to others. Whether teaching Tyler to read, creating order in the Rummage book room with Chris or understanding the overwhelming needs of the less fortunate at Horry County Helping Hands, Sondra was present and available.
Even after her last full act of bedside nursing in hospice with her husband at home, Sondra returned to helping others. Before her death she supported the preparations for weekly mass at St. Stephen’s and hosted a feline guest, Ms. Patty from the North Myrtle Beach Animal Shelter. Through the years, through the changes in people, location and view, Sondra encouraged trying to find a way to be better. She would say, “when you know better, you do better” and “find a way to be kind.” Imagine if you were alone in a strange place, what would you want? What type of people would you want to find you?
Lee Funeral Home
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