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We Will Remember Joe Taylor I


BY MARGARET HEWITT-ZAITLIN


began reading Joe Taylor’s The Fitness Report back in the early 80s and never stopped subscribing to the publication. When it was re-


named Active Living, it seemed an ex- cellent title for the coming age of our fitness profession. When Active Living arrived in my


mailbox, I read it cover to cover within days. Every two months Joe provided us with a straight shooting, up-to-date editorial that fired the mind and senses into thinking about solutions for the challenges he presented. I loved Joe’s honesty and outside-


the-box approach. I was always in- spired by his comments.


It was so Canadian Joe presented Active Living informa-


tion in a down to earth style. I loved how he bridged the fitness industry with medical and wellness connec- tions. His writing and organizational abili- ties shone as he pulled together an excellent collection of past, pres- ent and future informa- tion and perspectives pertaining to research, trends, organizational updates, programs, pub- lications, products, con- ferences and services. In addition, different


organizations, like ALCOA and SPRA Fitness, would submit their four-page newsletters to share with everyone.


A tribute to us Active Living was an ongoing salute


to Canadians working in the fitness field. Those of us who curled up every two months to read Active Living will miss Joe’s unique and personable ap- proach and the ability to pick up the phone and have an intelligent conver- sation with someone who truly cared.


We meet Joe In May 2013, my husband and busi-


ness partner, Morrie Zaitlin, visited Joe in the hospital. Marika and Walter Hanych hosted and escorted us to Joe's


46 Fitness Business Canada July/August 2013


home and office. His home was a re- flection of the Collingwood, Ontario, north environment, filled with warmth and beautiful crafted African art that he and his wife had collected. Marika told us that he loved to en-


tertain Canadian musicians of merit, record music and listen to his amazing jazz collection. His office overflowed with books, journals, letters and mag- azines. We wandered his beautiful backyard where spring flowers were bursting, water sparkled in his pond and the sun filtered through the lush greenery and stately birch trees.


Saying Goodbye After all the years of reading his


work and speaking to him over the phone, we finally met Joe in person. I sat beside him and held his hand as he ate some of the blueberries and blackberries we had brought. We spoke about how


much we appreciated his longstanding contribu- tion. My heart now feels at peace for this opportu- nity we had to be togeth- er. It was unfortunate we met when he was not well, however, we are very grateful for the vis- it. Joe passed away just 13 days later.


There is interest in keep-


ing Active Living magazine going, which in itself is a tribute to a true blue Canadian journalist who with his mind, heart and soul made a sig- nificant difference in many people's lives. Joe Taylor encouraged, educated, challenged, nurtured and thus shaped each professional who read his work. We will miss you Joe and will always


remember you in our hearts. Thank you for all you gave us! FBC


Margaret Zaitlin is executive director of Canadian Fitness Education Services, a national fitness leadership training, resource publish- ing and instructor and personal trainer certifi- cation agency. She is a long-time colleague of Joe Taylor.


JOSEPH WATSON TAYLOR – Nov. 30, 1925-May 20, 2013


A


veteran journalist, Joseph wrote and edited many books on fitness and


sports. During his varied career, he was a sportswriter for the Toronto Star, wire edi- tor for the United Press, editor of Canadian Packaging, a Maclean-Hunter publica- tion, sports editor of the Times of Zambia in Africa and editor and publisher of the Fitness Report – later the Active Living Report – for over 30-years. He was well known for his journalism, editorial com- ments and integrity as editor. He also was a long-time associate of the late Lloyd Percival, founder of the Fitness Institute and a pioneer in Canadian fitness, with whom he wrote articles and edited booklets and periodicals. These include Complete Guide to Total Fitness, and Total Conditioning for Hockey, both based on Lloyd Percival’s theories. Technical manu- als edited for the Coaching Association of Canada include Science and the Athlete, Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Art and Science of Coaching and How to be an Effective Coach. -Excerpted with permission from the Toronto Star


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