Edith Gaylord Muller (1919-2003)

Written by her brother, William Luther Gaylord, Jr., October, 2003:

Edith Gaylord Muller, born in Berkeley, California in 1919 and a long-time resident of Mill Valley, Marin County, California, passed away Friday, Oct. 3 in the Marin Convalescent Hospital where she had been a patient for two weeks.

She was the daughter of the late William L. and Marion P. Gaylord, and spent her childhood in Berkeley, where her family home was destroyed in the Berkeley Fire of 1923, and in St. Helena, Napa County, where she attended elementary and high schools. She graduated from the University of California in 1940 with a degree in Art Instruction and was employed as an art teacher at Atascadero High School. After teaching assignments there and at Napa High School, she was employed by Jo Sinel, a prominent San Francisco designer. Later, she was associated with the Neil Sampson design studio when she met her future husband Stanley Muller, also a graphic designer. They worked together for many years, and were married for 56 years. Both were water-colorists in their spare time.

While raising three children at their Mill Valley home, she taught in the Marin County school system as a home teacher. She did some free-lance writing in recent years, describing the Berkeley Fire, and childhood shopping trips to the Emporium which were published in the Oakland Tribune and the S.F.Chronicle.

She is survived by her husband, Stanley Muller; a daughter, Carolyn Muller of Napa; two sons, Randal Muller of Roseville, his wife Roberta and daughter Halina; Bradley Muller of De Leon Springs, Florida, his partner Lois and children, Rima and Miles. She also leaves a sister, Alice Gaylord Taplin of St. Helena, and a brother, William Gaylord of Sacramento; two nieces and three nephews.

A memorial service will be held at a future time. The family would appreciate a remembrance to the National Cancer Institute, 6130 Executive Blvd. MSC8322, Bethesda, MD 20892-8332