William O. Taylor

Return to main article:

We note with sadness the death on May 1, at home in Boston, of William O. Taylor ’54, chairman emeritus of the Boston Globe, where he had served with distinction as publisher. Among his many other pro bono activities, Bill was a member of the Harvard Magazine Incorporated board of directors from 1995 to 2001 (much of that time alongside his classmate, Daniel Steiner ’54, LL.B. ’58)—a critical period when the forces now transforming publishing and the media took form and accelerated. His early insights into these changes regularly informed the magazine’s evolving responses. Even after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2009, Bill remained a magazine incorporator and an informal counselor—roles that we especially remember and value. The Editors

Related topics

You might also like

Plus, veteran higher education leader Thomas Ehrlich reflects on university curricula for his 70th reunion

TKTKTKT Bunny Love Questionnaire

Tell us a story about the unique relationships between the animals in your life.

Making Waves with Philosophy

A conversation with Harvard professor Michael Sandel

Most popular

In 2004, a frenzy spread across Harvard Yard in days. Four billion users later, we are only just catching up.

The stakes are high for this husband and wife: one of them will die if they don’t find a cure.

Long-discussed reorganization includes layoffs and the end of the Dudley Community.

Explore More From Current Issue

A smiling William C. Kirby in a suit with glasses stands outdoors, surrounded by greenery.

The president of Harvard Magazine’s Board of Directors will step down in September.

A woman with curly blonde hair sits casually against a stone wall, wearing a black top and jeans.

Chloe Chapin trains her Broadway costume designer’s eye on the history of men’s fashion.

Three young women posed side by side against red background.

The 2026-2027 Ledecky and Summer Undergraduate Fellows